Adopt-a-Stream

1. Adopt-a-Stream Kriste Lindberg, Education Specialist Sara Stonaha, Education Specialist City of Bloomington

2. Adopt-a-Stream • The Adopt-a-Stream program utilizes volunteers to conduct water quality monitoring, do storm drain marking, and cleanups/workdays. • It is an opportunity for • volunteers to get involved • with taking care of their • natural environment. • The program encourages • community ownership • and expands existing • resources. City of Bloomington

3. Why did we choose this project? • There’s a need! • The IDNR recently “lost” the Adopt-a-River program due to funding restrictions. • It fits in well with our existing citizen scientist programs such as Adopt-a-Trail and Storm Drain Marking and incorporating Hoosier Riverwatch. • This is a pilot project and we will be creating a state-wide program for other municipalities and organizations to model after. • We’ve found an opportunity and are running with it… City of Bloomington

4. Timeline • We have created a timeline City of Bloomington

5. Accomplishments • Accomplishments along the timeline include: • Working on pilot projects in the City of • Bloomington to base Adopt-a-Stream on. • Pilot projects: Cascades Creek (Ivy Tech), • Clear Creek (Indiana University) City of Bloomington

6. Accomplishments, continued • Accomplishments along the timeline include: • Continue tailoring project as a boiler-plate for other municipalities and groups to use while creating our official program (based upon the existing Adopt-a-Trail program) • Web site rough draft • Orientation agenda rough draft City of Bloomington

7. Still to come, In the future, we will: • Continue to update “Adopt-a-Stream Application Packet” and “Adopt-a-Stream Organizing a Cleanup” manual and related forms with City of Bloomington Legal Department, City of Bloomington Utilities Department, and Monroe County, and Hoosier Riverwatch • Activate the web site • www.bloomington.in.gov/adopt-a-stream •  Finalize orientation agenda • Initiate outreach to recruit participants City of Bloomington

8. Still to come, In the future, we will: • Provide orientation • Meet with participants on site at streams • Train volunteers to Hoosier Riverwatch Workshop • Train volunteers to storm drain marking • Launch Adopt-a-Stream logo contest in public schools during the Fall 2012 semester City of Bloomington

9. Still to come, In the future, we will: • Work with Indiana University students on video during the Fall 2012 semester • Release completed “boilerplate” to other municipalities and organizations • Serve as resource for participating municipalities and organizations • Launch Facebook page (with approval) City of Bloomington

10. Considerations • If you are interested in adapting our program for your use here are some points to consider in advance: • Building a Strong Program • Do you currently have some type of citizen scientist or adopt-a-something program established? Should this program be “fine-tuned” before taking on another program? • Assess Your Staffing Resources • Can you or other staff train and monitor volunteer activities? • Try It, Before You Buy Into it • Can you run your own “pilot projects” to determine if and how you need to modify Adopt-a-Stream to fit into your department or fill a need? City of Bloomington

11. Adopt-a-Stream • We wish to thank the following: City of Bloomington Hoosier Riverwatch Indiana Department of Natural Resources Indiana University Indiana Watershed Leadership Academy Ivy Tech Monroe County City of Bloomington

12. Kriste “Crappie” Lindberg Education Specialist lindberk@bloomington.in.gov Sara “Sunfish” Stonaha Education Specialist beattys@bloomington.in.gov City of Bloomington

13. ?’s City of Bloomington