BECOME A STREAM STEWARD
The Cumberland River Compact’s Adopt-A-Stream program empowers neighborhood groups, schools, religious groups, and other community organizations to care for their local waterways. By adopting a stream, you will build a deeper connection to your environment while improving water quality across the watershed.
The program is supported by Metro Water Services, which provides supplies and trash pickup for Davidson County participants. The Compact provides volunteer training, stream segment matching, and ongoing support.
HOW IT WORKS
The Adopt-a-Stream program assigns your group a local stream segment for one year. During that time, you’ll bring your community together to remove litter, helping protect drinking water and create a healthier habitat for birds and fish. Since 2007, adopters have cleaned more than 100 miles of streams throughout the Cumberland River basin.
All adopters agree to:
- Attend a brief training workshop in April.
Each adopting group sends at least one representative to an orientation session on April 1, 2026 (led by the Cumberland River Compact) that provides foundational knowledge about local waterways, safety practices, and effective stewardship techniques. - Complete at least two stream cleanups at their assigned stream segment during the year.
One cleanup is completed as part of the Compact’s annual citywide cleanup event in April, and the second (or any additional) cleanup is planned by the adopting group at a time that works best for their members throughout the year.
Beyond these core expectations, Adopt-A-Stream is intentionally adaptable. Your group is free to organize as many (or few) additional cleanups as you want.
APPLY TO ADOPT A STREAM
Applications for Adopt-A-Stream are accepted January 1 through March 15 each year. Priority will be given to neighborhood groups, community organizations, faith communities, schools, and informal resident teams; corporate or business applicants are encouraged to check out the Compact’s opportunities for Corporate Team Building.
Please use the form below to tell us more about your interests, your connection to your neighborhood, and why you want to care for a local waterway. Our team will follow up with the next steps after the application period closes.
Adopt-a-Stream applications are currently closed.
Thank you for your interest in supporting local waterways.
The next round of Adopt-A-Stream applications will open in January 2027.