Macroinvertebrates are extremely important to our watersheds. Not only do they serve as a primary food source for fish, amphibians, and water birds, but they are also a great indicator for water quality. Macroinvertebrates have different tolerances when it comes to changes in water quality, because of this many scientists and environmentalists look at the diversity and type of macroinvertebrates within the stream or river. If there is a high variety of pollution-sensitive species, it usually indicates a healthy and clean waterway.

For Partners for Clean Streams, monitoring macroinvertebrates is one way we can better understand our waterways and identify areas that need attention. Every tiny creature we find can help tell the larger story of a healthy stream.

Keep an eye out for the little things that make a big difference!

We invite our partners, volunteers, families, friends, and community members to join us for this year’s event. Registration is now open, and we encourage you to sign up and invite others to participate.

Register here!

After the cleanup, we’ll come together for a picnic at the Lucas County Fair Grounds to enjoy some food and celebrate the work we’ve accomplished. We also invite you to participate in some raffles for the chance to win prizes.

Thirty years of Clean Your Streams Day is a testament to the power of partnership and community involvement. Year after year, people have come together to protect our streams and natural resources, and that continued commitment has made this event a meaningful community tradition.

We are incredibly grateful for your partnership and for the role you play in making Clean Your Streams Day possible. Mark your calendar for September 26, register today, and invite your colleagues, friends, and neighbors to join us as we celebrate 30 years of cleaning, connecting, and building community together!

We look forward to seeing you there and celebrating this incredible milestone with you.

Storm drains provide an important pathway for rainwater to enter local streams, rivers, and even our lakes. Unlike wastewater that goes to a treatment facility, stormwater can carry little, oil, chemicals, and other pollutants that go directly into our waterways without being filtered. Marking storm drains throughout our neighborhoods with the message “Lake Erie starts here: dump no waste” helps raise awareness and reminds people to keep their storm drains clean.

With guidance from Partners for Clean Streams, the Lucas County Engineer’s Office, and Ohio EPA, local Scouts helped spray paint storm drains with that important message throughout the Sylvania Township community. This hands-on project gives volunteers and opportunity to learn about stormwater pollution while also contributing to the health of our local waterways.

Every marked drain is a reminder that protecting our watersheds starts right in our own neighborhoods.

The group paddled by kayak to Girty’s Island, enjoying a unique perspective of the river while keeping an eye out for litter and other debris along the riverbank. Among the more unusual finds were a porch duck and a windshield wiper linkage—a reminder that you never quite know what you’ll discover during a river cleanup!

Events like this demonstrate the value of partnerships between organizations that share a commitment to protecting Ohio’s waterways. By combining the knowledge, resources, and enthusiasm of PCS and ODNR, even small cleanup efforts can make a meaningful difference while bringing people closer to the rivers they work to protect.

Kayaking to Girty’s Island provided an opportunity to experience the Maumee River from a different perspective. Getting out on the water allows volunteers to see firsthand the importance of keeping our waterways clean and encourages continued stewardship of these valuable natural resources.

Partners for Clean Streams is grateful to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for joining us on the river and helping make this cleanup possible. We look forward to continuing to build partnerships and create opportunities for volunteers and conservation organizations to work together for cleaner, healthier streams and rivers throughout our region.