BATON ROUGE – In an effort to clean up waterways throughout the capital region, a litter boom was placed in Bayou Fountain near Highland Road. The tool collects trash that floats downstream.

Louisiana Stormwater Coalition donated the litter boom that Nathaniel Klumb with Paddle BR is maintaining. Klumb says he can already see progress.

“We’ve have had a few storms, and it’s definitely catching bottles and cans and shopping bags,” Klumb said.

Klumb has been working for years to keep the waterway clear for paddlers.

“My goal in life is to be out of a job. This isn’t my day job, but cleaning up litter is definitely a job. It’s not something I do because I want to sell it on eBay,” Klumb said.

Already in a week, the litter boom has caught enough trash to fill up multiple trash bags. Everything from LSU to the south of University Lakes drains into Bayou Fountain.

“It should last a decade or more with constant maintenance, and ideally we'll branch out and collect litter in more places to improve it even more,” Klumb said.

Klumb said Ward Creek would also benefit from the installation of a litter boom.

“While this drains the southwestern corner of the parish, Ward Creek drains pretty much the entire central part of Baton Rouge," Klumb said.

The kayak enthusiast says keeping the waterways clear can also help prevent flooding.