Bayboro Harbor Resiliency & Innovation Challenge

A Trash & Data Collection Tournament

Proposed April 2027 | 9:00 AM–2:00 PM

USF St. Petersburg Waterfront & Bayboro Harbor

Organized by Water Warrior Alliance

More Than a Cleanup. A Competition With a Purpose.

What if collecting trash could help us develop a long-term solution to waterway pollution?

Water Warrior Alliance is bringing together students, researchers, marine professionals, environmental organizations, businesses, and community partners for the proposed Bayboro Harbor Resiliency & Innovation Challenge — a Trash & Data Collection Tournament.

This collaborative environmental competition goes beyond a traditional cleanup by combining trash collection, scientific data, underwater exploration, technology, creativity, and innovation.

Teams will recover debris, identify pollution hotspots, document environmental conditions, and collect meaningful data to help advance the development of a permanent trash-capture solution for the USF St. Petersburg waterfront.

Collect Trash. Capture Data. Advance Solutions.

How the Tournament Works

Participating teams will compete and collaborate across designated shoreline, waterborne, research, technology, and innovation activities.

Recovered trash will be weighed, sorted, categorized, and documented using Water Warrior Alliance's ETAP litter-analysis approach.

Teams may receive recognition for debris recovery, pollution hotspot discoveries, research findings, innovative solutions, and other measurable contributions.

Four Tournament Tracks

1. Waterborne Trash Collection & Marine Debris

Marine-debris recovery, hotspot identification, common-item challenges, and collection-zone comparisons.

2. Shoreside Trash & Environmental Data Collection

Shoreline cleanup, ETAP litter analysis, storm-drain mapping, and pollution-source investigations.

3. Dive, Technology & Underwater Exploration

Qualified dive recovery, underwater ROV surveys, drone mapping, and submerged-debris documentation.

4. Innovation, Design & Creative Solutions

Trash-capture concepts, maintenance innovations, youth environmental art, and upcycled-material showcases.

Activities include both competitive and collaborative categories. Final participation requirements and category rules will be established during planning.

Proposed Event Schedule

TimeActivity

8:15–9:00 AMRegistration, team check-in & safety preparation

9:00–9:20 AMOpening ceremony & tournament briefing

9:20 AM–12:00 PMTrash collection, data gathering & tournament activities

9:30 AM–1:30 PMPartner Village, educational exhibits & technology demonstrations

10:30 AM–1:20 PMTrash weigh-in, ETAP sorting & preliminary data processing

1:20–2:00 PMResults, awards & partner recognition

Schedule is preliminary. Staff and partner setup will begin earlier.

Help Us Build the Tournament!

We're currently looking for partners to help organize, facilitate, sponsor, and participate in the event!

Whether you're a university student, marine professional, researcher, business, environmental organization, educator, or community member, there are opportunities to contribute.

Ways to Get Involved:

• Lead a Tournament Category: Help plan, develop, and facilitate individual competition or research activities.

• Provide Technical Expertise: Contribute qualified divers, vessels, ROVs, drones, environmental research, engineering knowledge, or specialized equipment.

• Organize a Team: Recruit students, employees, volunteers, or community members to participate.

• Support Education & Innovation: Facilitate interactive exhibits, technology demonstrations, youth activities, or creative workshops.

• Become a Sponsor: Support the tournament through financial contributions, equipment, professional services, supplies, or other in-kind donations.

• Volunteer: Help with registration, trash collection, data stations, sorting, event operations, or community engagement.

We are especially interested in organizations willing to help lead or co-facilitate tournament categories.

Why Your Participation Matters

The USF St. Petersburg waterfront receives debris from the connected Booker Creek watershed. While an existing Watergoat interception device captures some floating pollution, additional environmental data and technical assessments are needed to develop a permanent solution.

The tournament will help document pollution patterns, identify priority areas, engage technical expertise, and generate information that can inform future system design.

Our goal is to turn a one-day event into meaningful research, partnerships, and long-term environmental impact.

Current Event Status

Planning and partner coordination are underway for April 2027.

The U.S. Coast Guard is aware of the proposed tournament and is awaiting confirmation of the event date to continue the applicable permitting process.

The final date, activities, locations, and marine operations remain subject to USF coordination and required approvals.

Become a Partner or Get Involved!

Interested in helping shape the Bayboro Harbor Trash & Data Collection Tournament?

Complete the interest form below to tell us how you'd like to participate.

Water Warrior Alliance will follow up as tournament categories, partnerships, and planning activities are developed.

PARTNER INTEREST FORM DIRECTLY BELOW

You can also review our Download Executive Summary & Partnership Opportunities for additional information.

Submitting an interest form is non-binding and does not constitute official event registration or a formal partnership agreement.

Water Warrior Alliance

Uniting partners to fight the War on Pollution through action, education, and policy.