Anthropogenic litter (AL; i.e., human trash) in freshwater environments can cause serious threats to wildlife through injury and exposure to persistent organic pollutants, impacts expand to include marine ecosystems as AL travels across freshwater-marine interfaces. Freshwater systems are also under extreme pressures from anthropogenic activities that result in water scarcity via overextractions and diversions. An important river habitat supported by river flows are debris dams, which historically were comprised solely of woody debris and other organic matter, but are currently also comprised of AL. Our study aims to understand how anthropogenic activities linked with river water availability and road bridges impacts the distribution and abundance of AL in the Lower Kern River (LKR), which historically was perennial-like but currently ecologically functions as an ephemeral river through Bakersfield, CA USA. Three bridge sites were surveyed for AL at four river habitats: upstream and downstream of bridges (n = 3 transects/habitat) and underneath bridges at debris dam (DD) and non-DD bridge piers (n = 5 pier pairs). Sampling occurred in the LKR during dry, summer 2025 season (no flows) and again in Fall 2025 when the LKR had flowing water for the first time since summer 2025. While fall sample processing is still underway, preliminary results from the dry, summer season suggested 1) greater accumulation of AL under bridges within DD habitats, 2) plastic AL dominated DDs (80%), whereas the non-DDs had less plastic but contained more AL variation (X2[50] = 113.64; P<0.0001), and 3) river habitat significantly impacted AL distribution, with more less dense items more abundant under road bridges (F[5] = 19.823; P<0.0001). Shifts in AL distribution during the dry season may be linked to wind transportation, human visitors (e.g., unhoused, recreational), and/or legacy effects from the last time the river had flowing water. These results highlight the importance of studying AL similar to any material that accumulates and transports through ecosystems, since AL materials are now a permanent material in the environment. Therefore, understanding variables that impact the abundance, distribution, and fate of AL materials will be necessary to develop and implement AL reduction management strategies and policies.