What is a Stream Team?
Missouri Stream Team is a working partnership of citizens who are concerned about Missouri Streams. The Stream Team Program provides an opportunity for all citizens to get involved in river conservation. Attendees of the first Rivers and Streams Conference in 1988 set the following Stream Team goals:
Accomplishments:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Stream Team?
Stream Team is a group of people who care about Missouri streams. It is citizen-based and biologists provide training and expertise at no charge to help with stream projects and information.
How do I become a Stream Team?
Fill out a registration form and you'll be assigned a Team number and begin receiving information.
What types of people or groups are involved?
Individuals of any age, families, groups, or organizations of any type can form a Stream Team.
What types of projects can I get involved in?
Litter pickups, storm drain stenciling, water quality monitoring, habitat improvement, advocacy, greenways, or educational projects are all possibilities. We provide training in several of these areas and have staff to help you get started. We also provide materials at no charge for many Stream Team projects.
Can I choose a stream to adopt?
Yes, you may work on any stream you like. You can adopt more than one stream or change your adopted stream at any time. It's not a problem for more than one Team to adopt the same stream; there is usually plenty of work for everyone! We encourage Teams to choose a small section of a stream that is close to home to begin their projects.
Do Stream Teams have permission to trespass for their activities?
NO, Stream Team volunteers and staff do not have permission to trespass in the name of Stream Team work. All program staff and volunteer citizens must abide by State of Missouri trespass laws.
How do I get in touch with someone if I have questions?
You can reach Stream Team staff by email or by calling us at 800-781-1989 (voicemail). We check the messages often and will get back to you as soon as we can. If you need immediate assistance, you can reach us at (573) 751-4115 ext. 3591.
How do I get the word out about events my Team has planned?
You can alert other Stream Teams by adding your event to the online calendar. You can either do that yourself using the Calendar Event Submission Form, or contact Stream Team staff with your submission. You can also contact any of our staff by phone or email with a request to include your event in the Channels newsletter Calendar of Events or to run a special feature article (allow several weeks notice for newsletter items; we are ready for printing approximately one month before the issue hits mailboxes).
Within your community, contact local newspapers, radio and television stations for free community advertising. You can also prepare a press release, which contains contact information as well as the four Ws (who, what, when, where) and a brief write-up about your event. Mail, fax, or email your local media outlets and ask for coverage. Make follow-up calls to the same outlets to see if they have questions and ask if they can provide coverage for your event. Finally, posters and flyers in locations frequented by like-minded citizens are also an easy and free way to spread awareness. You may also want to establish an email list or social media group of interested citizens in your community and ask them to forward the message on!
Mail:
Stream Team Unit
Missouri Dept. of Conservation
PO Box 180
Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180
Phone: (573) 751-4115
Toll free voice mailbox: 800-781-1989
Email: StreamTeam@mdc.mo.gov