The Pierce Conservation District Stream Team formed in 1994 with volunteers monitoring 5 streams in Pierce County. To date we have a sustained volunteer base of over 55 active monitors monitoring 40 sites, 21 of which are prioritized by partner jurisdictions. We’ve gone from 5 kits to 30 and from a washroom to a functional lab space in our new Conservation Center in 2017. Stream Team has shared our data in new formats, including watershed highlights in our Tahoma View newsletter and newly created jurisdictional reports.

We’ve also added educational workshops such as native/invasive plant identification and habitat assessment to build on our naturalist skills. While a lot has changed in 25 years, Stream Team is still focused on the engagement with community members as they are our “eyes and ears” of the watersheds, alerting us to issues and communicating the importance of protecting water quality. We are looking forward to the next 25 years of monitoring, engagement and education within Pierce County’s watersheds. Look for more ways to celebrateStream Team and engage in your watershed with upcoming events this summer and fall.