Tumwater committee endorses continued partnership for watershed education program 

The Tumwater Public Works Committee recommended continuing an interlocal agreement for the implementation of the South Sound GREEN Program, a long-running watershed education program for middle school and high school students in Thurston County.  

The program, which was implemented by the Thurston Conservation District, allows youth participants to learn about water quality through hands-on science and engineering practices. 

By renewing the interlocal agreement, Tumwater agreed to contribute a certain amount of money each year through 2030. This year’s amount is set at $8,400 with payments in proceeding years increasing by 5 percent. 

Grant Gilmore, of the city’s Water Resources and Sustainability Department, spoke highly about the impact of the program on local students. 

In 2025, the program reached 53 teachers and more than 1,300 students across seven schools. 

“The students that I get to integrate with and connect with have memorable experiences from these educational opportunities,” Gilmore said. “I would say that the South Sound region, because of this regional effort, has some of the most advanced kids I have ever come across when it comes to water quality and their understanding of the science behind it.” 

Due to the experience they gain, Gilmore said students get to design their own solutions within their communities to improve local water quality. 

The program also acts as a foundational component, so students get to participate in the annual Green Congress, an event at The Evergreen State College, where students from across school districts present on water quality parameters in local stream systems. 

The program also prepares students for more advanced levels, such as two summer programs that focus on water resource management, as well as forest and stream ecology.