Excess rainfall has carried litter and other pieces of trash into waterways feeding into larger bodies of water, such as the Tennessee River.
For those walking along the banks of the Tennessee River, folks may have seen some of the trash along the sides, threatening more than just a beautiful view.
"Anything that ends up in our waterways, not only is it ugly, but it obstructs habitats, and pollutes the water we could be drinking," Alanna McKissack at Keep Knoxville Beautiful, said.
She said that eventually, 80 percent of all litter that's on the streets, will end up in local waterways. That's as it falls into in a rush of heavy flwoing water down storm drains and is discharged into rivers and lakes.
Keep Knoxville Beautiful works to keep all areas of Knoxville clean and free of trash. McKissack said if you see trash on the sides of the river bank or roadways, to pick it up and throw it in a trash can.
"We need to really be cautious about our surroundings," McKissack said. "Making sure that during rains, that if we see litter while we're walking, or even before that rain, to pick it up."
For those who need to report a litter hotspot in Knox County, you can file a report here.