How education transforms watershed health

Education is essential

Improving stormwater quality requires more than just structural solutions — it requires informed, engaged communities who understand their role in protecting water. Educational outreach, particularly among youth, plays a critical role in cultivating behaviors that support long-term water quality improvements. Research consistently shows that environmental education not only improves knowledge but also changes behavior, and stormwater programs are no exception. The United State Environmental Protection Agency’s National Menu of Best Management Practices for Stormwater affirms the critical importance of public education, noting that “the benefits of public education efforts cannot be understated” (EPA 2025).

From contract-based programs like Poseidon Education’s Stormwater Quality Leadership Program to federal initiatives like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Bay Watershed Education and Training and nonprofit efforts like Project WET’s Clean and Conserve, young people are making measurable impacts on water quality. This broad network of initiatives exemplifies how diverse stakeholders can effectively encourage environmental stewardship and achieve better water quality outcomes. When students engage in experiential learning like water quality monitoring, cleaning catch basins, installing rain gardens, exploring their local watershed, and sharing their findings with peers, families, and decision-makers, it leads to meaningful shifts in attitudes and behaviors that contribute to lasting environmental stewardship. Additionally, these programs help build a pipeline of skilled, motivated workers who are essential to maintaining and advancing critical water services.

Research confirms education changes attitudes and behaviors

At Carver Elementary School in Santa Ana, California, fifth-grade students roll up their sleeves to clean a campus catch basin as part of Poseidon Education’s Stormwater Quality Leadership Program. (Credit: Poseidon Education)

The idea that education can lead to positive behaviors and measurable outcomes is supported by research. A meta-analysis of 169 studies from the past 50 years — covering over 176,000 young participants across 43 countries — found that environmental education not only improves their understanding of the natural world and environmental issues but also fosters more positive attitudes toward the environment and encourages environmentally responsible behavior (Wetering et al. 2022). The analysis defines environmental education as “any program designed to help children and teens better understand and care for the environment through information or hands-on learning.”

But environmental education can cover a lot of ground — so what do we know about how education impacts stormwater pollution in particular?

A survey by the Caltrans Division of Research, Innovation and System Information, Measuring the Effectiveness of a Stormwater Public Education Campaign: Survey of Practice, offers some relevant insights. The purpose of this survey was to support Caltrans in evaluating Protect Every Drop, a public education campaign they conducted from 2016-2019 to promote and encourage water-friendly behaviors. Of the eight responding state transportation agencies that carried out stormwater education campaigns, seven considered their efforts effective in reducing litter and pollution (CTC & Associates 2019). They noted increases in public awareness, participation in litter reduction efforts, and agency partnerships.

A paper presented at the EPA National Conference on Urban Stormwater argues that well-designed education programs can go beyond engaging only early adopters and inspire broader participation in best management practices (Neiswender and Shepard 2003, 267). One example cited is a student-led rain garden project in Wisconsin, which filters approximately 378,400 gallons of stormwater each year, demonstrating how hands-on education can produce measurable water quality benefits.

A 2020 study asked the same question: can outreach and education produce real change in communities? The study evaluated the impact of Ecology Action Center (EAC) education and outreach programs on BMP adoption. A randomized survey of residents examined their awareness of EAC programs, attitudes toward water quality, and adoption of seven BMPs: creating rain gardens, managing yard waste, using phosphate-free fertilizers, regularly servicing septic systems, disposing of pet waste properly, conducting soil tests, and installing rain barrels. The results of the survey suggested that “direct experience with these programs emerges as the strongest predictor of BMP adoption,” and that targeted BMP-focused programming has a measurable localized impact (Brehm and Eisenhauer 2020).

That same idea drives Poseidon Education’s education programs. Poseidon Education’s Stormwater Quality Leadership Program, launched in 2013, has equipped over 3,500 students with the knowledge and skills to combat stormwater pollution with the help of municipal departments, agencies, and water districts. Since 2013, students at over 55 schools across 3 states have studied storm drains, collected and tested stormwater samples, cleaned catch basins, and developed best management practices — evidence that applied learning can create tangible environmental improvements.

Another study, Impacts of Extension Education on Improving Residential Stormwater Quality: Monitoring Results, found that after an outreach program was implemented in a Connecticut neighborhood, levels of coliform bacteria and nitrates in stormwater runoff dropped significantly across two local watersheds following the program’s completion (Dietz et al. 2002).

The evidence is compelling: education works. Not only does it inspire behavioral adjustments and new habits, and ultimately a higher adoption of BMPs, it leads to measurable improvements in water quality. By providing individuals and communities with a deeper understanding of their local watershed and practical, actionable BMPs, education programs have the potential to improve entire watersheds.

A critical time for outreach and youth engagement

During a rain event, youth in Poseidon Education’s Stormwater Quality Leadership Program collect stormwater runoff samples for laboratory analysis to determine pollutant levels. (Credit: Poseidon Education)

The need for expanded outreach and education efforts is higher than ever. Urban growth and more impervious surfaces are driving higher pollutant loads in waterways. At the same time, utilities already face difficulties hiring and retaining staff, and nearly one-third of the workforce is expected to retire within 10 years ( EPA 2024). Without intentional action, this combination of environmental strain and workforce decline could threaten the reliability of critical water services for decades. As the water sector faces a looming labor shortage, attracting and sustaining a new generation of skilled workers is critical to maintaining essential water services like stormwater management. The EPA’s 2024 Interagency Water Workforce Report to Congress highlights the importance of making water careers visible, recommending expanded recruitment initiatives aimed at youth through education programs, school presentations, utility tours, and career fairs (EPA 2024).

As communities face growing environmental pressures and the water workforce approaches a generational transition, now is the time to scale up educational outreach. By providing opportunities for early exposure to water careers, communities can inspire interest, build relevant skills, and foster a sense of stewardship in future professionals. Engaging youth and communities through hands-on programs not only improves stormwater outcomes today but also establishes the foundation for a thriving water workforce in the future. The evidence is clear: education is not an optional add-on to stormwater management — it is a cornerstone. By investing in education today, communities not only protect watershed health but also build the skilled workforce needed to sustain it for generations to come.

References

Brehm, Joan M., and Brian W. Eisenhauer. 2020. “Impacts of Targeted Education Programs on the Adoption of Residential Best Management Practices (BMP) to Combat Non-Point Source Pollution.” Applied Environmental Education & Communication 20 (2): 155–65. doi:10.1080/1533015X.2020.1740117.

CTC & Associates LLC. “Measuring the Effectiveness of a Stormwater Public Education Campaign: Survey of Practice.” California Department of Transportation, December 4, 2019.

Dietz, Michael E., John C. Clausen, Glenn S. Warner, and Karl K. Filchak. 2002. “Impacts of Extension Education on Improving Residential Stormwater Quality: Monitoring Results.” Journal of Extension 40 (6): Article 13.

Neiswender, Catherine, and Robin Shepard. 2003. “Elements of Successful Stormwater Outreach and Education.” In National Conference on Urban Storm Water: Enhancing Programs at the Local Level: Proceedings, Chicago, IL, February 17-20, 2003, 263–71. Cincinnati, OH: Technology Transfer and Support Division, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2003.

US EPA. 2025. “National Menu of Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Stormwater-Public Education.” United States Environmental Protection Agency. July 9, 2025.

US EPA: Office of Water. 2024. Review of Interagency Water Workforce Working Group Report to Congress. Epa.gov. United States Environmental Protection Agency.

Wetering, Judith van de, Patty Leijten, Jenna Spitzer, and Sander Thomaes. 2022. “Does Environmental Education Benefit Environmental Outcomes in Children and Adolescents? A Meta-Analysis.” Journal of Environmental Psychology 81 (101782): 101782.