(09/23/25) BATON ROUGE, La. — The second phase of a stormwater litter management plan for Capitol Lake was launched Sept. 19, marking a significant step in addressing plastic pollution in one of Baton Rouge’s critical water systems.

Capitol Lake, a 70-acre, human-made retention basin, has been plagued by severe litter and sediment accumulation due to stormwater runoff. While local volunteers have worked to manage the litter, the installation of specialized stormwater litter-trap systems is expected to provide a more efficient solution by capturing litter and flood-causing sediments.

Capitol Lake is one of four demonstration sites selected for the implementation of innovative stormwater litter-trap systems designed to capture and remove litter.

The first phase of the project involved several tactical cleanups to remove all litter from the lake. The data collected was used to determine the most effective litter-trap systems and their locations.

Phase two of the project includes the installation of four different types of litter traps which include a litter boom, Litter Gitter, stormwater litter interceptor and litter fence.

The litter boom is a floating barrier installed at locations where stormwater flows into the lake, catching any accompanying litter before it gets into the retention basin.

The second type of floating structure used in this project is the Litter Gitter which uses booms to direct the flow of water and litter into a trap. The floating trash trap collects both litter and debris.

The third device is a stormwater litter interceptor which fits into storm drains. The device intercepts litter greater than 2 inches in diameter, while also designed to allow vegetative debris to pass through.

The fourth device is a litter fence which is installed along roadways designed to prevent litter from blowing into ditches.

The insights gained from Capitol Lake and the other demonstration sites will contribute to the creation of a statewide manual for litter remediation, which aims to combat plastic pollution and other pollutants across Louisiana’s water systems.

This project is led by the LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens in collaboration with the Louisiana Stormwater Coalition, the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, the governor’s office and the city of Baton Rouge.

An installed litter boom floats at the stormwater entry point, capturing litter before it enters the retention basin. Photo by Malorey Uzee/LSU AgCenter