Water Quality & Conservation

Adopt-a-Drain

Water entering our storm drains flow directly from Oakdale streets to local lakes, rivers, and wetlands and can carry with them leaves, grass, trash, pet waste, and more. Please consider adopting a drain in your neighborhood to ensure only water enters the drain.

Visit the Adopt-a-Drain website

Adopt-a-Wetland

Learn how to adopt a wetland (PDF).

Blue Thumb Cost Share Program 

Blue Thumb offers financial assistance to create rain gardens, porous surfaces, shoreline plantings and more! Also get help with landscaping design! Visit the Blue Thumb website.

Rain Gardens

Learn about the benefits of rain gardens.

The Oakdale Environmental Management Commission put together a Rain Garden Guide (PDF) that explains how to test water infiltration, size your rain garden, and construct the rain garden area for proper drainage. There are also design examples for a bird and butterfly rain garden or a native prairie rain garden to help you select plants to create a beautiful and functional rain garden.

Watersheds

Oakdale contains parts to three different watersheds.
View the various watersheds in Oakdale

If you are considering property improvements to help with water quality such as establishing a rain garden, planting native landscaping, conducting shoreline restoration, or installing pervious pavement, your local watershed district may have grant funds available to offset some or all project costs. 

Additionally, the Washington Conservation District (WCD), located in Oakdale, is a local unit of government in Washington County dedicated to soil and water conservation. The WCD provides a variety of resources to help educate residents and provide programs related to conservation. 
Learn more about the WCD