During a storm, garbage carelessly discarded in the street in Lake Forest or Irvine doesn’t stay there. Each year, between 100 to 300 tons of trash winds up flowing up to 15 miles downstream along San Diego Creek, ultimately polluting the Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve. … That’s why the Newport Beach City Council approved construction of a garbage interceptor at the end of San Diego Creek in July 2023. It’s a preventive waste management system similar to Baltimore’s two Mr. Trash Wheels, which use floating containment booms to direct debris toward a conveyor belt powered by a water wheel and solar panels. The $5.5-million project is about 90% complete, with it’s conveyor belt barge and other components already positioned at the creek, Kappeler said. Crews were in the process of installing its solar panels and battery Monday. The trash wheel could be up and running as soon as late February.