Adopt-A-Storm Drain
Help Keep Our Waterways Clean
RiverLink has partnered with the City of Asheville and local volunteers to protect water quality through an Adopt-A-Storm Drain Program. Pollution from stormwater runoff is the biggest threat to clean water in our urban streams. Stormwater is rain that flows across the landscape—rather than soaking into the ground—where it picks up pollutants before flowing into a storm drain and emptying into the nearest stream.
With funding from the Pigeon River Fund, a grant administered by the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, this program will allow volunteers to adopt storm drains in the Central Asheville Watershed and Smith Mill Creek Watershed, in West Asheville.
The project reached its goal of 100 storm drains adopted in the Central Asheville Watershed in 2021. This year, our goal is to reach that same number in the Smith Mill Creek Watershed. Volunteers will be awarded with fun prizes for their commitment and enthusiasm each month.
How does it work?
Select a storm drain in a convenient location of the Central Asheville Watershed or Smith Mill Creek Watershed. It could be in front of your home, business, or where you exercise regularly. By adopting a storm drain, you commit to checking the drain in between rain events and keeping it clear of litter and debris. All it takes are gloves and a trash bag. Then with a smartphone or computer, you can report debris cleaned/cleared, and conditions such as illegal dumping or flooding. In a matter of minutes, you help protect water quality and prevent street flooding from clogged drains!
Are you ready to adopt a storm drain?
Explore the map below to choose a storm drain in the Central Asheville Watershed or Smith Mill Creek Watershed. Click on the dot for the storm drain you want to adopt, and follow the link in the pop-up to fill out the adoption form.
