Water Quality Division

WQ Education Programs

Education is a vital part of the Oklahoma Nonpoint Source (NPS) Program, which depends on strong agency partnerships to effectively deliver high quality education programs. While the OCC contracts with partner agencies for some programs, the Blue Thumb Water Quality Education Program is the educational arm of the OCC Water Quality Division. Blue Thumb trains volunteers to monitor streams in their communities, conduct groundwater screenings, and to share their knowledge of water quality with others. Volunteers include an array of student groups, Girl and Boy Scout troops, families, couples, and individual citizens monitoring approximately 100 streams across Oklahoma.

Volunteer monitoring can help identify streams in need of restoration. Blue Thumb staff participate in OCC restoration projects by organizing and participating in watershed stakeholder meetings in project watersheds. Outreach efforts often include tours of demonstration farms showcasing best management practices that protect water quality, hosting community workshops, and publicizing events through the media. To learn more, visit the Blue Thumb website.

Water Quality Division education programs are funded by Section 319 Clean Water Act grants from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.