Calendar

Saturday, August 30, 2025
9:00am - 11:00am

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, September 13, 2025
9:30am - 11:30am

4600 SE Columbia Way,
Vancouver, WA 98661

Join Water Center staff outdoors to help keep our Backyard Habitat Certified gardens in tip-top shape. Volunteer activities may include weeding, mulching, trimming and raking pathways. All necessary tools will be provided.

Registration is required. Sign up today!

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, September 20, 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

Thursday, October 2, 2025
10:00am - 11:15am

4500 SE Columbia Way,
Vancouver, WA 98661

Join us for a free tour of the City of Vancouver’s Marine Park Wastewater Treatment Facility. This 75-minute tour will take you behind the scenes of what happens to all the water that goes down the drains in your home, school, or business.  From a flush, to laundry, to washing dishes, all the water we use goes into underground pipes and to a treatment plant to be cleaned. Learn how to care for our water and our utilities in this unique tour.

Tour is suitable for ages 8 and older.

Closed-toed shoes required for all tour participants. Participants will sit indoors for a 15-minute introduction talk to begin the tour.  Expect to walk 0.75 miles, on paved surfaces, for about one hour. Participants will encounter stairways during the tour of this facility and will need to be able to traverse multiple staircases.

Meet at the Marine Park Engineering building, next door to the Water Resources Education Center.  Detailed logistics will be sent to registered participants.

Registration is required and space is limited.  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

Friday, October 10, 2025
10:00am - 12:00pm

4911 NW 122nd St,
Vancouver, WA 98685

Explore Vancouver Lake from a whole new perspective! Join the Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership and Vancouver’s Water Center education staff for a free family-friendly canoe paddle aboard 29-foot, 14-passenger Big Canoes! Glide past shore birds, look for signs of beaver activity, and learn about the Columbia River ecosystem from seasoned paddle guides and educators.

Plan to paddle for 1 to 1.5 hours in Estuary Partnership’s Big Canoes along with other participants, and walk under 1/4 of a mile on gravel, muddy/sandy beaches, and uneven terrain. Paddlers must be able to step down 2.5 feet into the canoe and sit on a wooden bench without back support for the duration of the paddle program. Big Canoe paddles are suitable for ages 6 and older. Previous paddling experience is not required!

*In an effort to provide opportunities for new participants and paddlers, our program encourages that you sign up for only one paddle trip per year*

Advanced registration is required, and space is limited. Sign up today!

You will receive a confirmation letter with full event details, meeting location, and how to prepare for your event after registration.

If you need to cancel, please do so at your earliest convenience to allow your spot to be filled by someone on the waitlist.

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.

Frequently Asked Questions: 

Who can paddle?

• Big Canoe trips are suitable for ages 6 and older.
• Previous paddling experience is not necessary.
• Paddlers must step down 2.5 feet into the canoe and sit on a wooden bench without back support for 1.5 hours.

Do I need any equipment or special gear?

• Please come prepared for the weather with raingear or a hat and sunscreen/sun protection.
• Personal flotation devices (PFD’s) in youth – XXL are provided.
• This paddle trip will depart from a small sand patch and not a dock so waterproof shoes or sandals are recommended. Old tennis shoes work great, too.

Can I bring my camera or cell phone?

• Yes. Be advised that we cannot guarantee the safety of electronic devices and do not offer dry bags. Occasional splashes and rain make the bottom of the boat wet, but typically gear in a pocket will stay dry.

How safe are paddle trips?

• Safety is always our first priority. Our guides are trained in on-water rescue, CPR, and Wilderness First Aid.
• Water activities carry inherent risk; guides take precautions to ensure a safe paddling experience.
• See our safety protocols or contact us for more information.

Questions?  Contact the Water Resources Education Center at 360-487-7111 or email vanwrec@cityofvancouver.us   

Meeting Details

Thursday, November 6, 2025
10:00am - 11:15am

4500 SE Columbia Way,
Vancouver, WA 98661

Join us for a free tour of the City of Vancouver’s Marine Park Wastewater Treatment Facility. This 75-minute walking tour will take you behind the scenes of what happens to all the water that goes down the drains in your home, school, or business.  From a flush, to laundry, to washing dishes, all the water we use goes into underground pipes and to a treatment plant to be cleaned. Learn how to care for our water and our utilities in this unique tour.

Participants must be 8 or older to take part in the tour.  Closed-toed shoes required for all tour participants. Expect to walk 0.75 on paved surfaces.

Participants will encounter several stairways during the tour of this facility and will need to be able to traverse multiple staircases.

Meet at the Marine Park Engineering building, next door to the Water Resources Education Center.  Detailed logistics will be sent to registered participants.

Registration is required and space is limited.  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