We want to see your best photographs that feature our lakes, streams, parks, wildlife, plants, recreation, or anything else outdoors that inspires you! We're looking for photos of our watershed to feature in our 2026 wall calendar. Photos must be taken within the boundaries of the Riley Purgatory Bluff Creek Watershed District. $50 prize will be awarded to the winning cover photograph, and $20 prizes to the 12 monthly featured winning photographs. Submissions are due September 30th, 2025 and will be judged by RPBCWD staff and its Citizen Advisory Committee.

Are you daydreaming about warmer weather and planning spring planting projects? Good news - our stewardship grant program is now open! The Stewardship Grant is a cost share program that offers financial support and resources for clean water projects to residents and organizations in the watershed district. Some examples include natural shoreline restorations, habitat restorations, alternatives to standard lawns, and stormwater best management practices such as rain gardens or tree trenches. Homeowners can receive up to 75% of their project cost up to $5,000.

Ever try to identify trees and shrubs during the winter–or when you take students outside on that amazing 70 degree day in March? It’s tough! Fortunately Gael Zembal, Education and Outreach Coordinator at Nine Mile Creek Watershed District has some tricks she’s willing to share! Join us on March 12th for our last STEM on Tap Workshop for Educators of the 2024-2025 school year to learn the key characteristics needed to identify trees in winter. You'll get some resources to bring tree learning into your classroom, including a few dichotomous keys that can be used without leaves. And, best of all, you’ll have a chance to practice your new skills on bark and twig samples.

Do you have an idea for a lesson plan or activity involving water resources? We offer Educator Grants to help cover the cost of the materials and support your ideas. Examples include snowshoes,  macroinvertebrate sampling materials, water quality test strips, or bus fees to a local nature center. Grant awards up to $400 are available to teachers and informal educators.

Want to start a clean water education campaign? Plant native flowers in your yard? Hold a community clean-up? Get up to $250 to help you make your project a reality. The catch? You can't do it alone! To get an Action Grant, find at least one other person outside your household to join your team. Want to install a free seed library? See if your neighbor has seeds to share. Those native plants? Invite friends over to help you plant them.