VOLUNTEER FOR US!
As residents of the Potomac and Shenandoah watersheds, we depend on the rivers and their tributaries for water resources and ecosystem services. The watersheds also depend on the surrounding communities for their protection. At PRKN we believe community engagement is necessary for keeping our rivers clean and healthy.
There are many ways you can engage to protect your local environment. We offer volunteer opportunities where you can help Potomac Riverkeeper Network protect and defend healthy river habitats and promote clean water. Whether testing water quality, doing river clean-ups, attending public hearings, doing scientific or legal research, or helping out in the Georgetown office, there are plenty of ways you can contribute.
Trash-Free Potomac River Cleanups
Trash pollution is a terrible issue in our watershed that ultimately affects the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean as well. You can learn more about trash pollution in the Potomac River here.
To help combat the trash issue in the watershed we are hosting river clean-ups from April through October in various locations throughout the watershed. We provide all of the supplies necessary, you just need to bring a reusable water bottle, sunscreen, and clothes you are okay with getting a little dirty!
- National Harbor River Cleanups – Third Saturday of each month May – October
- Alexandria Rivergate Park Cleanups – Second Saturday of each month May – October
- Daingerfield Island Marina Stand Up Paddleboard River Cleanups – First Sunday of Each Month June – September
Community Science Water Quality Monitors
PRKN is proud to lead a team of dedicated Community Science Water Quality Monitoring volunteers. After completing our training program, our volunteers sign up to collect scientific data about the health of the Potomac River on Wednesday mornings. This data is then brought to our floating lab, Sea Dog, analyzed, and released weekly on the SwimGuide app and our social media to inform the public when and where it is safe to interact with the Rivers.
If you have Wednesday mornings free and are interested in participating in our program please watch our three training videos in order (linked below). Once you have watched our training videos you can contact our lab manager, Lisa Wu at Lisa@prknetwork.org and request our Water Quality Monitoring Certification Exam. After completing our certification exam, you will be a certified water quality monitor and will receive all of the materials and information you need to get started!
Event or Office Assistance
Do you have specific skills you think could be of use to Potomac Riverkeeper Network? There are plenty of ways we could use your expertise to support our work! Get in touch with our Volunteer Coordinator, at morgan@prknetwork.org, to help us host a public event, research scientific or legal issues, or join us in the office!
Bilingual/Multicultural Translation
With more than 6 million people in our watershed, our communities are incredibly diverse. In order to engage all of the members of our watershed, PRKN is always looking for volunteers to help us translate our promotional and educational materials as well as our in person lectures or events. If you are fluent in a language other than English, and would like to help us with translations please reach out to our Volunteer Coordinator at morgan@prknetwork.org.
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