Environmental Services
Volunteer Activities
Are you concerned about streams in Arlington? Help be a part of the solution! Check below to find out all the different ways that you can volunteer to help our streams and the environment!
Introduction
Volunteers are critical to many state and local government programs across the country. Volunteers help with stream cleanups, restoration projects, tree planting activities, and stream monitoring. Volunteers are trained to help with different activities, depending on the local information needs. Whatever your interest or activity level is, there is a stream volunteer activity for you!
Stream Monitoring Program Recognized for Ten Years of Service!
Description of Volunteer Activities
Read a brochure about Stream Volunteer Activities in Arlington (315 KB, PDF format).
| Activity | Description | Contact Person |
| Stream Cleanups | Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment conducts regular stream cleanups in our local streams. Come out and bag some trash! | Elenor Hodges of ACE at 703-228-6427. |
| Storm Drain Marking | Storm Drain Marking involves gluing vinyl labels to storm drains, that state "Don't Dump! Drains to Stream". The markers are customized with the name of Arlington's local streams on them. These markers remind people that our storm drains flow directly into our streams, and do NOT flow to our wastewater treatment plant. Currently, storm drain markers for all watersheds in Arlington County are available. | Elenor Hodges of ACE at 703-228-6427. |
| Adopt-a-Street | Help keep your street clean and beautiful, and help our local streams too! The Adopt-a-Street Program is an economical solution to storm water management and litter control throughout Arlington, while providing residents with an opportunity to do something positive for the community. Individuals or groups can volunteering to help keep our neighborhoods clean by "adopting" a section of road pledging to keep the street, curb, and storm drain free of trash and debris for a commitment of 1 year by performing clean up duties on a quarterly basis. Find out more! | Check if your street is available, and sign up online! |
| 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. | Gulf Branch Nature Center 703-228-3403 |
| 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. | Sarah Archer at 703-228-1862 |
| Stream Monitoring | Stream monitors collect biological and chemical data about our streams' water quality. The County’s adopted Watershed Management Plan recommends long term monitoring at 15 stream sites around the County. The data collected helps Arlington track water quality changes resulting from our stream protection initiatives. Stream monitors should be of high school age or older, or if younger can monitor with a parent. Monitoring results from our sites are available on the citizen monitoring pages and a video of stream monitoring is also available. Stream Monitor Workshop: Interested in becoming a stream monitor? Our next training will be this spring (April/May timeframe). To learn more about the program and to receive notification of when the next training is scheduled, contact Jen McDonnell. | Jen McDonnell at 703-228-3042 |
| Wildlife Mapping | The WildlifeMapping Program is composed of a dedicated cadre of volunteers interested in wildlife, who are trained to submit wildlife observations to a state of Virginia wildlife database. This is a joint citizen-scientist team effort that helps the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF) keep track of the state's wildlife resources. | Jennifer McDonnell at 703-228-3042 |
Stream Monitoring Results
Stream monitors are citizens who help collect biological and chemical data about water quality in our streams. The County’s Watershed Management Plan, adopted in 2001, recommends long term monitoring at 15 stream sites around the County. Currently, monitoring teams are active at seven sites. Stream monitors must attend 2 training classes before joining a monitoring team. The data collected will help Arlington County identify pollution incidents, and track changes in our water quality as a result of new stream protection initiatives. Stream monitors should be of high school age or older.
Find out past year's results of Arlington County's stream monitoring program:
- 2010 Stream Monitoring Report (1 MB, PDF format)
- 2009 Stream Monitoring Report (380 KB, PDF format))
- 2008 Stream Monitoring Report (358 KB, PDF format))
- 2007 Stream Monitoring Report (349 KB, PDF format)
- 2006 Stream Monitoring Report (283 KB, PDF format)
- 2005 Stream Monitoring Report (552 KB, PDF format)
Arlington's dedicated stream monitors conduct their sampling in March, June, September, and December. There are currently stream monitoring teams active at eight sites in the County, on Little Pimmit Run, Gulf Branch, Donaldson Run, Windy Run, and 4 locations along Four Mile Run. Don't know where these streams are? View a map of Arlington's watersheds.
Calendar of Activities
Please check Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment's web site for current volunteer opportunities. Also there are lots of interesting AIRE and Green It events.
Arlington Storm Drain Marker
Here is a picture of Arlington's storm drain marker, featuring "Sherlock Shad", a local fish who is helping seek out and prevent pollution!
