00:49 Debris Chaos in Miami Canals Debris that’s clogging Miami’s canals is at the crisis point.

At a Glance A massive amount of trash gets trapped every day in booms located throughout Miami's system of canals.

Google Maps is able to pick up trash floating in Miami canals.

A massive amount of trash gets trapped every day in booms located throughout Miami, Florida's system of canals, so much so that it can be seen from space.

Environmentalist Dave Doebler, the founder of VolunteerCleanup.org, told the Miami New Times he was notified about trash piling up in a Miami canal and turned to Google Maps to have a look.

<img class="styles__noscript__2rw2y" src="https://dsx.weather.com//util/image/w/google_2.jpg?v=at&w=485&h=273&api=7db9fe61-7414-47b5-9871-e17d87b8b6a0" srcset="https://dsx.weather.com//util/image/w/google_2.jpg?v=at&w=485&h=273&api=7db9fe61-7414-47b5-9871-e17d87b8b6a0 400w, https://dsx.weather.com//util/image/w/google_2.jpg?v=ap&w=980&h=551&api=7db9fe61-7414-47b5-9871-e17d87b8b6a0 800w" > A Google Maps image of trash caught in a boom near NE 4th Ct. and NE 83rd St. in Miami, Florida. Instead of pristine images captured of beautiful blue canals, Doebler said he was shocked to see mounds of trash trapped by booms in the canals that he says are meant to keep boats away from floodgates.

"These booms 'by chance' capture a vast amount of trash and debris from I-95 and storm drain systems inland," Doebler told weather.com.

Doebler said he and other volunteers frequently pick up trash that escapes the booms, noting that they are rarely cleared of the trash by the responsible agency, the South Florida Water Management District. Some of it eventually finds its way into the Bay of Biscayne, he said.

<img class="styles__noscript__2rw2y" src="https://dsx.weather.com//util/image/w/unnamed_58.jpg?v=at&w=485&h=273&api=7db9fe61-7414-47b5-9871-e17d87b8b6a0" srcset="https://dsx.weather.com//util/image/w/unnamed_58.jpg?v=at&w=485&h=273&api=7db9fe61-7414-47b5-9871-e17d87b8b6a0 400w, https://dsx.weather.com//util/image/w/unnamed_58.jpg?v=ap&w=980&h=551&api=7db9fe61-7414-47b5-9871-e17d87b8b6a0 800w" > Trash caught by a boom in a Miami canal. (Dave Doebler) (Dave Doebler)

According to Doebler, the SFWMD uses a special boat equipped with a mechanical arm to scoop up trash from the canals but only seems to do it after "enough residents complain."

"They have no plan or methodology in place for actually capturing this trash," Doebler added.

Randy Smith, a spokesman for the South Florida Water Management District, told weather.com that there are thousands of miles of canals in South Florida.

"Some are owned, operated and maintained by municipalities, local drainage districts and individual homeowners associations along with 2,000 miles of South Florida Water Management District canals. Unfortunately, the public usually sees any canal and assumes it belongs to the SFWMD. All operators are responsible for maintenance of their canals," Smith said.

Smith noted that SFWMD has a "long-standing maintenance program" in place to control vegetation and trash thrown in or blown into the district canals.

"Because of the large size of the district, it impossible to keep crews on one canal all the time so a rotation occurs unless an emergency exists such as the current situation where Hurricane Irma blew large trees into district canals, which can cause of problem with conveyance and possible flooding from backups," Smith said. "Remember, the canals' sole purpose is flood control."

Smith added that Irma blew in a tremendous amount of trash and vegetation that will require a lengthy cleanup effort.

Doebler said the booms are better than nothing in preventing unwanted trash from reaching the bay and ocean.

"But a significant volume of trash gets through them because they are not designed for capturing trash. When they open the floodgates, all the trash goes straight out to the bay. This is a significant source of trash and debris in our bay, which goes out to the ocean, and this isn't just a little. This is probably tons of trash every year in our own first world country."

According to Doebler, SFWMD has said they "don't have the staff or funding to keep their territory clean, and they won't allow anyone close to their canals to do it as volunteers."

"On their list of priorities, this is very low," he said. "We've met with them and gotten nowhere."

Smith noted that the problem of trash begins with the person who tosses trash with no regard to the environment.

"I cannot stress enough what a problem people dumping garbage and other debris into the canals really is," Smith said. "The district works with local law enforcement agencies as illegal dumping is such a big issue. Here is where we can all help out with canal issues by reporting anyone that you see illegally dumping into any of the canals."