Stream Volunteer Activities in Arlington County
No matter what your age or activity level, you can help protect our water resources in Arlington County! Check out the program descriptions below to see what type of volunteer stream protection is right for you. A contact list is also provided with contact information for each program.

Stream Cleanups
Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment (ACE) and the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Community Resources (PRCR) sponsor stream cleanups on a regular basis. Do something good for our local streams, and come out and bag some trash! To find out more about stream cleanups, call Elenor Hodges of ACE at 703-228-6427.

Adopt-a-Stream
The Adopt-a-Stream program matches you or your group with a section of a local stream, which you commit to cleaning approximately four times a year. To Adopt-a-Stream, a member from your group will meet with a naturalist to register and select your stream reach. For more information, please contact Scott Deibler at 703-228-3403.

Adopt-a-Storm Drain
Storm Drains are a common feature of the urban landscape. These drains carry runoff from paved, impervious areas to streams to prevent flooding, but they also carry litter and other pollutants to our streams. Cleaning the area around these storm drains can help keep trash out of our streams! To Adopt-a-Storm-Drain, you will meet with a naturalist to register and select your storm drain. For more information about this program, call Scott Deibler at 703-228-3403.

Adopt-an-Outfall
Outfalls are locations where storm sewer pipes empty into our local streams. Arlington County inspects major storm sewer outfalls in the County each year, to check for illegal discharges to the storm sewer system and our streams. You can help us protect Arlington's streams by adopting an outfall, and checking its appearance and discharge on a weekly basis. One training session is required to select your outfall and review the inspection process. For more information, please contact Jason Papacosma at 703-228-3613.

Invasive Plants Removal
Invasive non-native plants are a challenge in many parts of the County. Citizens can learn to identify invasive plant species and assist with removing them during invasive plant removal activities. For more information, or to find out when the next invasive plant removal event will take place, please contact Elenor Hodges of ACE at 703-228-6427.

Stream Monitoring
Stream monitors are citizens who help collect biological and chemical data about water quality in our streams. The County's recently adopted Watershed Management Plan recommends long term monitoring at 15 stream sites around the County. The data collected will help Arlington County track changes in our water quality as a result of new stream protection initiatives.

Stream monitors are required to take two classes (about 6 hours total) of training, and then they can join a monitoring team. Stream monitors should be of high school age or older. For more information, please call Aileen Winquist at 703-228-3610.

Stream Stewards
Stream Stewards are citizens who help educate others about watershed protection and help lead volunteer stream protection events. Stream Stewards understand many of the issues facing our urban watershed, and help share this understanding with others.

Stream Stewards must attend one all-day training session, and commit to conducting at least five presentations or stream cleanups each year. Stream Stewards can also attend additional training classes about topics that impact water quality and are of interest to them, such as invasive plants, gardening, or stream monitoring. Stream Stewards may choose to organize volunteer activities related to these topics as well.

If you are interested in being a stream steward, please contact Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment at 703-228-6427, or email Elenor Hodges.

Contact List
Stream Cleanups, Invasive Plant Removal, Stream Stewards
Elenor Hodges, Executive Director - Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment (ACE)

Adopt-a-Stream, Adopt-a-Storm Drain
Scott Deibler, Gulf Branch Nature Center - Arlington County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Community Resources (PRCR)
703-228-3403

Adopt-an-Outfall
Jason Papacosma, Environmental Planner - Arlington County Department of Environmental Services (DES)
703-228-3613

Stream Monitoring
Aileen Winquist, Environmental Planner - Arlington County Department of Environmental Services (DES)
703-228-3610