Long Beach Study Recommends $4.4 Million to $7.7 Million Trash-Capture System at Los Angeles River Mouth

A completed Long Beach feasibility study recommends installing a double-boom trash-capture system at the Los Angeles River mouth, but construction funding and long-term operating responsibility have not been settled.

In a July 29, 2026 memorandum to the mayor and City Council, Long Beach Public Works said the proposed system would be placed between the Ocean Boulevard and Queensway bridges. The city estimates capital costs of $4.4 million to $7.7 million, followed by $1.9 million to $3.1 million in annual operations and maintenance costs.

What the study recommends

The recommended system would use two booms to intercept trash and other debris moving through the lower Los Angeles River before it reaches nearby waterways, marinas and beaches. The feasibility study identifies the northern section of the Southshore Boat Launch parking lot as the proposed location for trash-removal operations.

Long Beach Public Works estimates that approximately 2,000 tons of trash pollution and debris reach local waterways, marinas and beaches each year. That figure describes the city’s estimate of material reaching those areas; it does not mean the proposed system would capture all of it.

Potential local effects

The city says the project is intended to mitigate downstream impacts, improve water quality, enhance aquatic environments and help maintain recreational activities on Long Beach beaches. If built and operated as proposed, the system could reduce some debris entering waterfront areas used by boaters, beachgoers and other recreational users.

The study does not promise to eliminate beach trash or stop all plastic pollution. Its recommendation focuses on capturing material carried through the river at a specific location before it moves into Long Beach’s coastal areas.

Costs remain a central question

The estimated capital cost is separate from the projected annual operating burden. Building the system could require $4.4 million to $7.7 million, while operating and maintaining it could cost $1.9 million to $3.1 million each year.

The city has not finalized a funding plan for construction or long-term operations in the feasibility-study recommendation. It also has not established which agency or organization would operate and maintain the system over time.

Permitting and a 2028 goal

Long Beach anticipates that permitting would take approximately 18 months because the project would involve multiple federal, state and local agencies. The city has identified 2028 as an implementation goal, but that target is not a guaranteed completion date.

Before construction could proceed, the project would require additional engineering and design work, environmental review, regulatory approvals and funding decisions. Agreements covering operations and maintenance also remain unresolved.

The feasibility study is therefore a recommendation, not authorization to build. For Long Beach residents, taxpayers and waterfront users, the next major questions are whether the city secures construction and operating funds, completes the approval process and assigns responsibility for the system’s continuing costs.

Sources

• Long Beach Public Works feasibility-study memorandum, July 29, 2026
• Los Angeles Times report on regional river trash interceptors, May 15, 2026