Water goat installed along Hillsborough River in Temple Terrace

TAMPA - A local woman spent months fundraising and this Earth Day, she celebrated the fruits of her labor.

Thanks to Sue Drenberg's campaign, Temple Terrace now has a device that will collect thousands of pounds of trash and help keep waterways clean.

After seeing a Tampa Bay kayaker’s efforts to keep the Hillsborough River clean while photographing its beauty, she said she had an idea for her own community of Temple Terrace.

Drenberg made calendars of the kayaker’s photos and sold them, raising $3,000. With the money, a device called a water goat was installed by Riverside Park Saturday. Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful installed the water goat barrier, which traps trash that would otherwise end up in the river.

The water goat in Temple Terrace is 65 feet long and the attached netting goes about 12 inches underwater. Executive Director Debbie Evenson explained how it works.