On March 22nd, World Water Day, WaterWays and Hamilton County Parks joined forces to install a Litter Boom at the outflow of the Citico Creek watershed. In Chattanooga, all watersheds eventually flow into the Tennessee River, and the Citico Creek Watershed is particularly notable as it both begins and ends within the city’s boundaries. Starting from the peak of Missionary Ridge, Citico Creek meanders through residential neighborhoods and commercial areas before being culverted beneath industrial sites and the Debutts Rail Yard, ultimately flowing into the Tennessee River near the Rowing Center on Riverside Drive. Encompassing 7 square miles and roughly 4,480 acres, this watershed can release an astounding ~120,150,000 gallons of water with just one inch of rainfall—nearly equivalent to two million bathtubs!
Nonetheless, the Citico Creek Watershed confronts significant water quality issues, including habitat loss, PCBs, E. coli, and litter. These challenges threaten both wildlife and human health, while the accumulation of litter compromises source water and impacts ecological diversity. Such challenges underscore the urgent necessity for conservation initiatives like the Citico Litter Boom.
The celebration of World Water Day and the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the litter boom included Mayor Tim Kelly, Hamilton County Director Matt Foltz, and representatives from Tennessee American Water, Talika Hollingsworth, and Daphne Kirksey. The boom installation was made possible by the regional business Osprey Initiative, which also collaborates with WaterWays on the installation of four other booms in Tennessee, as well as one in St. Lucia. We are immensely thankful for our fantastic partners committed to protecting the Tennessee River from plastic pollution.
