The City of Oak Ridge Healthy Waters Program is seeking organizations, businesses, and community groups to participate in a new Adopt-A-Creek program. The Adopt-A-Creek program serves to enhance the quality of Oak Ridge’s waterways through citizen action and education. It aims to reduce the amount of trash in and along waterways, to increase citizen awareness of water quality issues, and to train citizens on how to monitor stream health, a press release said.
Any organization, business, or group can volunteer to adopt a creek, or section of a creek, for a one-year period. During this period, participants will pick up and remove litter in and around the creek at least once every six months. Additionally, participants will be taught how to perform a visual stream assessment at each creek cleanup.
Safety and stream assessment training for each participating group’s coordinator and co-coordinator will be provided, and so will trash bags, gloves, safety vests, and warning signs for the groups to use during each cleanup event, the press release said.
Participation will allow organizations to publicly demonstrate their concern and dedication to clean, healthy water. This dedication will be recognized with an official Adopt-A-Creek sign highlighting the organization’s name, the release said. The sign will be erected on the roadside next to the creek after the first stream cleanup. Also, upon completion of the first year of commitment, the city will present participants with a certificate of appreciation.
There is no deadline to apply; applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis.
For more information about the program or to apply, contact the Healthy Waters Program at healthywaters@oakridgetn.gov or (865) 425-1875.
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