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02/01/2023 6:45 pm

A smiling volunteer cleaning up a stream in Raleigh.

Stormwater Volunteering

Updated: Feb 1, 2023

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Celebrate Regional Creek Week Opportunities Program Registration Highlights

Volunteer with us to help protect the planet! You can volunteer for a day or on a more long-term basis. 

Once you find the program that's right for you, we'll provide everything you need to get started.

New Volunteer Opportunity!

Wooten Meadows Green Stormwater Infrastructure

We launched a Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) Visual Monitoring pilot program to track how GSI projects grow and transform over time. Help us monitor GSI by using one of the phone stands to snap a photo, and then sharing it with us!

Celebrate Regional Creek Week

Two volunteers carrying a mattress that was cleaned up from a stream in Raleigh.

Two volunteers carrying a mattress from a stream during a cleanup event. 

We are celebrating the Clean Water Education Partnership Regional Creek Week from March 19-25, 2023! Learn more about our upcoming events and volunteer opportunities in the city!

Opportunities

Learn more about each volunteer program to choose the one that works best with your schedule and interests. 

Program  Description Age Commitment Requirements
Storm Drain Marking Glue “No Dumping” stickers on your neighborhood storm drains to remind others to never put harmful chemicals or other items into the drain. 10 years or older with adult supervision A few hours  Must sign up two weeks in advance and submit data.
Stream Cleanups Join us for a stream cleanup twice a year at different locations in Raleigh. Volunteers help remove thousands of pounds of trash from local streams. 10 years or older with adult supervision A few hours  Register beforehand and wear safety gear (City provided).
Stream Monitoring Learn more about Raleigh's waterways and collect data on the overall health/quality of a stream  18 years or older One-year minimum with training workshop Take part in a workshop before volunteering; collect monthly water samples; collect aquatic insect samples in the fall or spring (optional); and submit data. 
Adopt a Stream Choose a stream to clean throughout the year. This helps us remove trash from streams and identify other sources of pollution. 10 years or older with adult supervision Three-year minimum

 Complete two stream cleanups and submit data
Two women standing near the streambank of Walnut Creek picking up trash.

Two volunteers standing near the streambank of Walnut Creek picking up trash.

Two volunteers carrying a mattress that was cleaned up from a stream in Raleigh.

Two volunteers carrying a mattress from a stream during a cleanup event. 

A smiling volunteer cleaning up a stream in Raleigh.
Stream clean up volunteer

A volunteer removing trash from a stream. 

A girl wearing a yellow vest cleaning out trash with a net from Rocky Branch Creek.

A volunteer using a net to clean out trash from Rocky Branch Creek.

Two volunteers putting trash from the stream in a garbage bag

Two volunteers putting trash from Rocky Branch in a garbage bag. 

Two volunteers cleaning up a stream

Two volunteers cleaning up a stream in Laurel Hills Park. 

Program Registration

Are you interested in a volunteer program? Fill out the registration form.

Please allow one business day to get a confirmation from staff after you submit the form. 

Note: Stream cleanup registration is separate / available when we have an event scheduled. 

Highlights

2021

  • Volunteers collected more than 13,400 pounds of trash from streams. 
  • Nearly 600 volunteers worked to protect areas near Walnut Creek and Crabtree Creek. 

Thank you for all you've done to reduce water pollution and protect the environment.

All volunteer activities followed social distancing guidelines.

Volunteer Feature: Julie Atashi

See why Julie Atashi and her students work together to clean up the stream near the Follow the Child Montessori School. 

Stormwater Volunteer Feature: Julie Atashi

Hear from Julie Atashi, a long-time stormwater volunteer, who works with her students to clean up the stream near the Follow the Child Montessori school. 

Resources

 

How We Monitor Streams

Watersheds in Raleigh

Apply for Raleigh Rainwater Rewards

Stormwater Volunteer Spotlights

 

Alpha Phi Omega Fraternity

WSP Engineering Firm

Contact

 

Joyce Gaffney
Environmental & Sustainability Specialist 
919-996-4184

Subscribe

 

Related Articles

 
Green Stormwater Infrastructure Visual Monitoring
Rain Gardens
Watershed Master Plans
Stream Cleanups
Stream Monitoring
6 Ways to Prevent Water Pollution
Capture it! Stormwater Arts Contest
Adopt a Stream
Storm Drain Marking
Healthy Ecosystem in a Stream
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