Calendar

Saturday, October 18, 2025
9:30am - 11:30am

4501 SE Columbia Way,
Vancouver, WA 98661

Join the Water Resources Education Center to help remove plastic, styrofoam, and litter from the beaches and prevent it from entering and polluting the Columbia River.

All tools will be provided. Expect to walk 2.5 miles on uneven sandy beach areas. Volunteers will collect litter with litter pickers and carry it in buckets while walking the beach and surrounding area.

Registration is required. Sign up today!

All ages welcome. Youth under 18 must bring a signed minor consent form. Youth under 13 must have an adult guardian present.

Contact: Water Center staff at vanwrec@cityofvancouver.us or 360-487-7111

Meeting Details

Saturday, October 25, 2025
9:30am - 12:30pm

4600 SE Columbia Way,
Vancouver, WA 98661

The forests and wetlands of the Water Center are home to a wide variety of wildlife, drawn by the lush plant life and plentiful water. Though these animals are all around us, they often remain hidden from view. Tracking gives us a way to uncover their presence and understand their lives. In this beginner-friendly class, you’ll learn how to identify and interpret the signs they leave behind—tracks, scat, feeding marks, and more—and begin to read the landscape like a storybook of the wild.

This class is suitable for adults and youth ages 8 and older.

Advanced registration required. Sign up today!

Expect to walk about 2-2.5 miles, often standing in one place, to decipher the tracks we find. We will be mostly off trail, in sandy areas, with uneven terrain and mud.  All youth need to be accompanied by an adult.

If the event becomes full, please contact the Water Center at vanwrec@cityofvancouver.us or 360-487-7111 to add your name to the waitlist.

Meeting Details

Saturday, November 15, 2025
10:00am - 12:30pm

4600 SE Columbia Way,
Vancouver, WA 98661

Have you ever wondered what happens to the water that goes down your drain? Where does it end up?  How is it cleaned? What should and should not go down your drains?  Join us on our long form wastewater treatment plant tour! We will learn about our used water and how you can help keep the system in good shape through the peak holiday season. After the treatment plant tour, we will take a nature walk to the Columbia River to learn about the riparian ecosystem and see where the clean water is released.

Tour is suitable for adults and youth 8 years and older.  All youth need to be accompanied by an adult.  Tour is mostly outside, with a few portions indoors at the treatment plant. Tour will happen rain or shine.

Please Note:   Participants will encounter several stairways during the tour of the treatment plant. Closed-toed shoes are required for this tour. Participants should expect to walk a total of 2.5 miles on paved pathways during the tour and nature walk.

Space is limited.  Sign up to reserve your spot today!

If the event becomes full, please contact the Water Center at vanwrec@cityofvancouver.us or 360-487-7111 to add your name to the waitlist.

Meeting Details

Wednesday, November 26, 2025
10:00am - 12:00pm

4600 SE Columbia Way,
Vancouver, WA 98661

Join us on a Wednesday morning guided nature walk where we will explore the rich ecosystems along the Columbia River and adjacent wetland. As we wander, we’ll discover native plants, search for wildlife, and learn how these vibrant waterways support life all around us. Whether you’re a curious beginner or a seasoned nature lover, there’s always something new to see and learn on the trail.

This program is great for families with youth ages 6 and older as well as adults who want to get out and wander! Be prepared to walk 2 miles on paved pathways, unpaved wetland trails, and along sandy beaches. Program will happen rain or shine.

Registration is required.  Sign up today!

If the event becomes full, please contact the Water Center at vanwrec@cityofvancouver.us or 360-487-7111 to add your name to the waitlist.

Meeting Details