Community Engagement

Programs
Prevent pollution at home
Stewardship Opportunities
Educators and students
Businesses and property owners

We all live in a watershed and depend on clean water. Every small action—whether adopting a neighborhood storm drain or practicing natural yard care—helps protect our streams, rivers, lakes, and groundwater. Clean Water’s outreach and education goals include raising awareness about stormwater impacts, supporting stream-healthy behaviors and offering stewardship opportunities throughout our community. We partner with local organizations and cities to increase public awareness and help residents keep oils, pesticides, dirt, and other pollutants out of Clark County’s waterways. Together, we can make a difference, because we all live downstream. 

Stormwater Partners of SW Washington – Clark County’s best local resource for information on stormwater treatment facilities, water quality information, stewardship opportunities and pollution prevention tips for residents, educators, businesses, property managers and contractors.  

Other community programs, partners, and resources

Pollution prevention at home

Protect water, only rain down drain logo with images of four clean water behaviors including picking up after your pet, maintaining vehicles, washing vehicles at a car wash and sweeping rather than washing a sidewalk.

Clean water practices: 1) pick up after pets 2) maintain vehicles to fix leaks and keep proper tire air pressure 3) wash vehicles at a car wash 4) sweep up instead of washing outdoor spaces with water 

  • Adopt A Storm Drain - Help protect water quality, prevent localized street flooding and inspire stewardship by adopting a neighborhood storm drain.  

  • Canines for Clean Water - Take the pledge to clean up your pet's waste and find resources for addressing pet waste issues in your community! 

  • Backyard Habitat Certification Program -  Turn your outdoor space into a thriving habitat that benefits water, wildlife and the community. The Backyard Habitat Certification Program provides technical assistance to help you incorporate native plants, manage stormwater, and support pollinators—all tailored to your yard and interests. Participants also enjoy discounts at local garden centers and receive a certification sign to showcase their commitment.  

  • Green Neighbors program - Tips and ideas that you can implement at home to manage household hazardous waste and protect water ​quality. 

  • What’s Your Lawn Style – Lawn care tips that will help you maintain your turf, without harmful products! Find tips that work for you based on how much time and effort you like to spend.  

  • Don't Drip and Drive - Find resources to help you identify leaks and visit auto shops with confidence to get repairs done. 

  • Disconnect downspouts -  Disconnecting downspouts that drain directly to the street or storm drainage system and onto a lawn or landscape area can filter out pollutants, reduce flooding, and replenish groundwater. 

  • WSU Clark County Extension - As a small acreage property owner, there are several steps you can take to protect water. Find workshops and resources to help you steward your small acreage property. 

  • Clark Conservation District – Financial support, technical assistance and other resources are available to help county residents in rural and urban communities protect water and natural resources. Find support for livestock management, riparian enhancements, conservation planning and more. 

    • Resources from the Clark Conservation District walk you through the steps to create a healthy home for your horses and other livestock, while protecting stream health. 

    • Restoration - Resources from the Clark Conservation District provides planning, design and installation resources to enhance riparian habitat next to your creek or stream. 

Community stewardship

Go above and beyond to help protect water and build community with these stewardship opportunities.  

  • Clark County Volunteer Program - Help support the county parks you love and the community you call home by volunteering in ways that fit your interests and schedule. Opportunities include Adopt-A-Park, Adopt-A-Road, beach cleanups and custom events for a group you belong to. 

  • Watershed Stewardship – Learn about local watersheds, hydrology, fish and wildlife, water policy and volunteer over a six-week course offered by the Clark Conservation District. Then get out in the community to give back as a watershed steward! 

  • River-friendly car wash - If you are hosting a fundraising car wash, you need prevent the wash water from going down the storm drain.  We lend a river-friendly car wash kit to help businesses who want to support good causes and prevent pollution.  For more details, email our staff. 

  • Storm drain stenciling and marking - A fun, easy and impactful volunteer activity to help raise awareness in our community  to “protect water - only rain in drain”. 

Other community volunteering organizations:  

Educators and students

Students with Enviroscape watershed model

Students with Enviroscape watershed model 

  • Explore Your Watershed - this interactive StoryMap about Clark County's watersheds includes the Clark County Stream Health Report. This is an excellent resource with rich content designed to support a number of classroom topics around watershed health. Check out the accompanying student activity sheets to help with lessons. 

  • Clark County Green Schools - Form a green team and certify your school in Water and School Grounds & Gardens to help support stream health! 

    • Need help filling in the Green Schools forms? Use the following pages to help your Green Team move the certification forward!  

    • Student Activity Sheets  - nine different activities geared to help answer certification questions 

    • Make a Lasting Change projects - six projects that could inspire your Green Team's required project for certification 

    • Teacher Resource Page -one-page summary about stormwater in our community 

  • Clark County partners with the City of Vancouver to provide students across the county opportunities to monitor water quality in local streams, ponds, wetlands and stormwater facilities as they learn about water through hands-on science activities.  

    • FieldScope online database used by the Student Watershed Monitoring Network 

  • Enviroscape - Borrow our Enviroscape watershed model for your classroom and demonstrate how pollution moves through a watershed. The kit has all the materials you need. Our staff are also available to come to your classroom for a short demonstration and discussion on watershed health. 

  • Stormwater Partners of SW Washington – Find resources for educators teaching clean water topics and opportunities for students like the Students for Clean Water Video Contest.  

Business Resources

  • Green Business program - The program provides an environmental assessment, resources, and assistance to businesses seeking a structured approach to implementing green initiatives and measuring results. on 

  • Stormwater Partners of SW Washington – Find pollution prevention resources for businesses, including for some specific sectors like property managers and contractors, as well as information on maintaining catch basins and stormwater treatment facilities.