Woodlawn Lake’s new floating litter boom aims to keep trash at bay

A new floating litter boom is now in place at Woodlawn Lake on the West Side, part of a partnership between the city and River Aid San Antonio to keep trash out of local waterways.

The barrier, installed upstream at Alazan Creek, is the third of its kind in the city.

District 7 Councilwoman Marina Alderete Gavito said trash in the lake is an ongoing problem that worsens with heavy rain.

“We get a ton of resident calls about it,” she said. “You can see the wildlife, the ducks and the turtles literally swimming through trash.”

Charles Blank, executive director of River Aid San Antonio, said the boom at Woodlawn Lake costs $10,000, plus $12,000 a year for maintenance.

“That’s $22,000 price tag to ensure that Woodlawn is clean year-round. I think that’s something we can stomach,” Blank said. “This litter boom will make a new reality possible for Woodlawn Lake.”

Funding was secured for the Woodlawn Lake boom plus five others through a grant with the Nancy Smith Hurd Foundation.

The boom is a floating black barrier attached to each bank of the lake, with 7 inches of chain net underneath. It catches litter, while allowing wildlife to pass through.

The technology was originally designed to clean up oil spills, according to RASA. Leaders said models not up to par with those standards work well to catch trash, instead.

Blank said it takes two people to clean the trap, compared with 10 people needed to clean up the entire park.

Two other litter booms have been installed at Martin Luther King and Comanche parks, at choke points for trash on Salado Creek.

Woodlawn Lake does not feed into the Edwards Aquifer, but Blank said it is important to set the precedent for keeping waterways clean and wildlife healthy.

“This milestone is really part of a shared mission, and we hope it’s the first of many,” Blank said.

Blank said more booms are planned, including at Brackenridge Park, Elmendorf Lake and Olmos Creek.

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