Get Involved
volunteer
Adopt-a-Creek/Adopt-a-Spot
Through the District’s Adopt-a-Spot and Adopt-a-Creek program, you can take an active role in preserving our natural environment. It’s a great way to feel connected to your community and to help maintain healthy grounds and water systems.
Adoption comes with responsibilities. There’s a number of ways you can meet the challenge:
- Remove trash and other debris
- Remove weeds
- Plant native trees, shrubs, and wildflowers
- Care for plants and wildlife habitat
Participating in Adopt-a-Spot or Adopt-a-Creek is easy. First, select and map a portion of the waterway of interest. Then, contact the Flood Control District at 510-670-5501 and an Adopt-a-Spot coordinator will review your selection. If the location is not already taken and if the area is deemed safe for volunteer workers, the spot can be adopted. The District provides free trash bags and trash disposal, gloves, and orange safety vests for Adopt groups that coordinate with us.
Applications and permits are renewed annually. Volunteers must apply for the free permit, and then review and follow District safety and notification requirements. Volunteer efforts are rewarded with recognition signs near the selected site.
Adopt-a-Creek Groups You Can Join
The Alameda Creek Alliance is a volunteer-based community watershed group working to restore native steelhead trout to Alameda Creek. Read here for news, events, volunteer opportunities, and more.
A community group of dedicated citizens, students, and businesses interested in San Leandro Creek’s ecology, protection, and enhancement.
A central source of information on the San Lorenzo Creek system and watershed, including action issues and events.
The Friends of Sausal Creek is a group of volunteers working to maintain and improve the creek watershed. Read here for news, events, creek history, maps of hiking trails, and volunteer opportunities.
Piedmont Avenue Neighborhood Improvement League (PANIL)
PANIL is an association of residents in Oakland founded in 1974, with six steering committee members and nine standing committees. Glen Echo Creek surfaces from underground in two Oakland parks: Glen Echo Park and Oak Glen Park. While volunteers work to retain the creek’s natural environment, PANIL is working with the District to plan and repair bank erosion.
Other Volunteer Opportunities
High school community service groups, Girl Scouts, Eagle Scouts, and other volunteers can undertake public service projects through habitat creation and improvement, trail upgrades, species monitoring, and native plant maintenance. It’s a great way to get involved in environmental planning from a young age!
Cooperative Rain Data Collection Program
To supplement the District’s network of rainfall gauges, our staff oversees the Cooperative Rain Data Collection Program. Through this program, volunteers collect rain gauge data throughout the county.
Volunteers measure and record rainfall depths at the same time each day to develop consistent records of accumulated rainfall. They then forward the data to the District monthly. The District provides a rain gauge and recording materials to eligible volunteers.
Weather and science enthusiasts interested in participating in the program, or anyone with historic data to share, should contact Frank Codd at 510-670-5783 or frankc@acpwa.org.
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