Join the Great Raindrop Scavenger Hunt for World Water Day

World Water Day is on March 22, and we want to celebrate all month! Join the City of Salem's Clean Streams Team and the Mid-Willamette Outreach Group (MWOG) for The Great Raindrop Scavenger Hunt from March 1-31. This fun scavenger hunt lets you explore a local park at your own speed while following a story map. You'll learn about the park, local animals and plants, water resources, and more! If you finish the scavenger hunt, you'll get a prize!

To start the scavenger hunt, look for a raindrop with a QR code on it. Find the raindrop, scan the code with your phone, and begin your adventure!

You can find raindrops at these two parks:

Salem - Bush's Pasture Park, 890 Mission St. SE, Salem. The raindrop is on a sign post at the far end of the Mission St. parking lot, near the creek.

Keizer - Keizer Rapids Park, 1900 Chemawa Rd. N, Keizer. You can find clues for the Keizer raindrop on the City of Keizer's Facebook page.

World Water Day reminds us how important water is. In Salem, there are over 90 miles of streams, most of which flow into the Willamette River. There are also over 14,000 storm drains in Salem. Stormwater goes into these drains and flows into local streams without being cleaned. If stormwater picks up pollution, it can harm fish and other animals. It's important to protect our local waterways for all living things.

Here are some ways you can help protect local waterways:

• Keep trash off the roads and throw it away properly.
• Make sure your car is working well and fix any leaks quickly.
• If you have a dog, always pick up its waste when you take it outside.
• Take your car to a car wash that sends its dirty water to a treatment facility.
• Try to use fewer or no pesticides in your yard or garden.

You can find more tips to help protect local waterways on the Clean Streams website.