The Grate Drain Race
For the first time in watershed district history, two watershed districts are going head-to-head in the Grate Drain Race!
From August 1st through November 30th, 2026, the Riley Purgatory Bluff Creek Watershed District and our neighboring watershed, Nine Mile Creek Watershed District, are competing to see which district can adopt and clean the most storm drains and make the biggest impact.
Participating residents are eligible for prizes in 4 different categories - the more you participate, the more chances you have to win! Help your watershed district clean its way to victory to unlock a bonus raffle for all participating residents of the winning district.
No supplies? No problem! We've got your back with cleaning kits available to borrow. Fill out the form here to check out a storm drain cleaning kit.
Storm Drains and Adopt-a-Drain
Storm drains carry rain and snowmelt directly into our lakes and rivers without any treatment. This is a one-way ride for leaves, grass clippings, and other debris to go right into our waterways. By adopting a drain and checking for debris twice a month, you can help stop pollution from getting to our waterways!
We are partnering with Adopt-a-Drain, a local organization where folks can "adopt" a drain and pledge to help keep it clean. We will be keeping track of all of our data through their website.
How to Participate
Follow these steps to join the competition:
- Visit https://mn.adopt-a-drain.org
- Click the “Adopt-a-Drain" red button
- Enter in your address
- Claim an unadopted drain
- Give the drain a name!
- Make sure you check the box that allows your watershed district to contact you. Otherwise we won't be able to enter you in any prize raffles!
Once you’ve adopted a drain, we’ll do the rest! There are no limits to how many drains you can adopt, but be mindful not to take on more than you can monitor.
Be sure to log each cleaning in the Adopt-a-Drain portal. If you don't record your cleanings, your efforts won't count toward the competition totals.
Already Adopted a Drain?
Great! You're already part of the challenge.
Even if you've previously adopted one or more drains, you can still help your watershed win.
From August 1st through November 30th, 2026, we'll also be counting:
- Every drain cleaning you complete
- Every pound of debris you collect
What Will be Measured
- Total new adoptions of drains
- Total amount of debris collected in the competition period (Aug 1-Nov 30, 2026)
- Total number of cleanings in the competition period
The watershed district who wins at least 2 of these 3 categories by the end of the competition will be declared the winner!
Prizes
There are 13 total prizes; 11 raffle prizes and 2 individual prizes. Here are all the ways you could win:
- Best drain name (1 winner)
- 100th drain adoption (1 winner)
- Most cleanings (3 winners by raffle; each cleaning = a new entry)
- Most adoptions (3 winners by raffle; each adoption = a new entry)
- Winning watershed raffle (5 winners from winning watershed)
Prizes being given away include:
- Rain Barrels
- MN Arboretum Memberships
- Three Rivers Park District Gift Vouchers
Frequently Asked Questions
Isn’t it the city’s job to clean stormdrains?
No! Cities provide street sweeping and storm system maintenance but have no obligation to clean storm drains of any debris.
Do storm drains filter stormwater?
They do not. Storm drains send unfiltered water to our lakes, rivers, and creeks. That means any debris in storm drains goes right to our waterways. This is why keeping storm drains clean is so important!
What is the length of the competition?
The competition launches on August 1st and goes through November 30th, 2026. Adoptions, cleanings, and pounds of debris logged before August 1st or after November 30th will not be counted towards the competition.
I don't have cleaning supplies, can I still participate?
Yes! We have some cleaning supplies available for checkout. Click here to fill out this form requesting any cleaning materials you might need!
Can I win more than one prize?
Prizes are limited to one per household during the competition.
How are you judging the Best Drain Name category?
After the competition concludes, the Best Drain Name will be judged by a panel of three city officials from cities in both watershed districts (Eden Prairie, Minnetonka, and Bloomington). This will likely occur sometime in December.