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Stream Team highlights volunteer and equity work, asks for capacity support to expand outreach
Summary
Thurston County's Stream Team briefed commissioners on Feb. 19 about 2024 volunteer numbers, community science programs, equity mapping and a request to add administrative capacity to expand outreach into underserved areas; program funding comes from stormwater utility fees.
Thurston County’s Stream Team briefed the Board of County Commissioners on Feb. 19, 2025, describing its regional education and volunteer programs, reporting 2024 outreach and volunteer metrics, and asking for support to build administrative capacity to expand work in under‑served areas.
Presenters said Stream Team operates as the public face of the Regional Environmental Education Partnership (REAP), which includes the cities of Lacey, Olympia, Tumwater and Thurston County, and that the program’s primary mission is to satisfy stormwater education and outreach requirements in jurisdictions’ Department of Ecology permits. "Stream Team is the public facing brand of the Regional Environmental Education Partnership," Cynthia Taylor, identified as the county lead, told commissioners.
Staff reported that Stream Team is funded primarily from stormwater utility fees and that 2024 activity included roughly 675 volunteers contributing about 1,684 hours across 135 volunteer opportunities. The presenters said they had about 1,200 program registrations in 2024 and 1,327 registrations in the most recent year; Stream Team also runs community science programs such as stream bug monitoring, salmon stewardship and Marine Creature Monday.
Presenters described a newly completed equity index that uses multiple data sets (for example, census data, Department of Ecology toxics data and school metrics) to identify census blocks with higher burdens. The index showed Stream Team’s outreach had been stronger in higher‑opportunity areas, so staff and partners are directing a new 2025–27 REAP equity action plan to increase capacity and reach for communities with higher burden scores. The plan’s priorities include capacity building, partnership development, workforce pathways and tracking impact metrics.
Stream Team also described partnerships with organizations such as Cielo (a local Latinx nonprofit), the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Pacific Shellfish Institute, South Puget Sound Community College and the Puget Sound Estuarium. Presenters said a key recent program was a Latinx Conservation Week Tumwater Falls Salmon Celebration that included translated materials, transportation and food to remove participation barriers.
Commissioners praised the program’s volunteer retention and data‑driven targeting. In response to a funding question, a presenter said, "No, we're funded with storm water utility fees," and added Stream Team will seek grants to increase capacity; presenters said the program hopes to fund a part‑time administrative assistant to help expand outreach and grant work.
No formal board action was recorded. Commissioners suggested highlighting the program’s end‑of‑year report at a future meeting to raise awareness of volunteer and partner contributions.
Why it matters: Stream Team supports the county’s stormwater‑permit education requirements, produces stewardship and community science data that feed long‑term water quality monitoring, and uses an equity index to redirect outreach to higher‑need neighborhoods.
What’s next: Staff said they will continue implementing the 2025–27 REAP equity action plan, seek grant opportunities to add administrative capacity and prepare a 2024 end‑of‑year report for board review.
