Want a cool, new experience for you and your family to try out – or just on your own? Take part in surrey’s ‘Storm Drain Marking Challenge’ been happening every summer last ten years or so only getting more popular!
How it works is you order a kit from the city that comes with brushes and yellow paint- then go around painting a fish decal in front of storm basins. Turns out these yellow decals are pretty important, they tell people that the storm basin goes directly to local creeks and it’s imperative only water goes down them! Along with helping protect waterways, if you paint 100 decals you receive a cool gold plaque to show off to your friends!
(Official release from the City of Surrey)
Join the challenge! Protect the streams and creeks that Surrey’s salmon and trout call home.
Mark storm drains to help raise awareness that only rain should go down storm drains. These drains all lead to local streams and creeks.
Borrow a Kit
From June 8 to August 15 you can sign out a free storm drain marking kit which contains all the supplies you need to participate in the challenge. For the 2020 season we are offering kit drop off and pick up services. Kits will be prepared in advance and sealed a minimum of 3 days before delivery. E-mail salmontracks@surrey.ca to request a kit. You will need to be 18 years of age or older to sign out a kit, or have parental/guardian consent, and provide a completed waiver form. If you have questions about the challenge or the drop off and pick up services please call 604-591-4321.
Salmon Centennial Medal
Have you taken part in the Storm Drain Marking Challenge for multiple years? When you mark 100 storm drains we want to thank you with a Salmon Centennial Medal! If you have taken part over a couple years of challenges we keep records and will contact you when you have reached 100 storm drains.
Where to Mark Storm Drains
Find the drains that need to be marked and plan your route. Remember to consider safety first as you plan your route! Pick only storm drains on streets with less vehicle traffic.
Check out the City’s COSMOS map to see where to plan your storm drain marking route. There will be three colours on the map:
- Green fish-shaped dots represent the drains that need to be marked
- Yellow fish-shaped dots represent drains that may need to be remarked
- Red fish-shaped dots represent drains that have already been marked
If you have questions about the map call 604-591-4321.
COSMOS Map Desktop Computer Instructions: Insert your address to start searching where storm drains are in your neighbourhood. Select ‘City Map’ and zoom in by clicking ‘+’ to show the fish-shaped dots on the storm drain locations.
COSMOS Map Mobile Device Instructions: Search either by your address or your current location. Click on ‘Slide to Show’ and click on ‘Layers &Legend’ in the list. Click the Infrastructure toggle to ‘ON’ and zoom in by clicking ‘+’ to show the fish-shaped dots on storm drains.