Urban streams and rivers have been a focus of macro to nano plastic research; however, if the goal is to decrease trash pollution in urban watersheds, a better understanding of macro-trash in the urban environment, along with distribution and storage on riverine floodplains, is needed. Beginning in fall 2024, we have been quantifying macro-trash from ~20 sites across the University City area in Charlotte, NC with University City Partners, our community collaborator, to assess where trash accumulates in the neighborhood. Additionally, we have monitored trash before and after community events to assess the impact of human activities. In a second project, we quantified macro-litter over 6 months in 3 restored floodplains, where watersheds varied in urban intensity (i.e., low to high trash input), to assess the contribution of hydrological versus landscape features as sources of trash for near stream environments. Urban monitoring has identified trash hotspots, we have collected 3,391 pieces of litter to date, and documented trash accumulation following events. We have collected 4,002 pieces of (mostly plastic) trash across our 3 floodplain sites where trash accumulation rates ranged 2-13 pieces per day, and each floodplain was profiled with significant contributing near-stream environmental features using a multivariate analysis. Understanding the ecological function of trash in streams is important for managing urban streams and rivers; however, only by understanding trash accumulation and flux from urban areas to stream channels and decreasing these fluxes can urban stream and community health be improved.