Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association

ECWA is the primary watershed organization in Durham NC. Its community-based approach to healing urban waters is unique in the Triangle area and is becoming recognized nationally, as interest in urban watersheds has quickly expanded and intensified. The position will lead a team of five staff members who work with dozens of partners and hundreds of volunteers to protect and steward creekside lands; clean up Durham’s water through innovative, nature-based approaches; and engage the community in these efforts.  

As a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization, ECWA is both a land stewardship and an urban watershed management organization. Established in 1999, the Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association has organically and steadily grown from a few volunteers in one local neighborhood to become a key player in ensuring that Ellerbe Creek is an important asset to the watershed, to its surrounding neighborhoods, and to the City of Durham at large. ECWA envisions a living creek connecting human and natural communities in Durham.

Our assets include dedicated board members and volunteers; 420 acres of protected land throughout the watershed, including five publicly accessible preserves, with hiking trails and educational signage, and an equivalent set of non-public (or not-yet-public) preserves; community events that raise both money and awareness; stormwater management projects; and professional staff and consultants, who develop and share these assets in a sincere, inviting way. We challenge ourselves not only to identify the historical exclusion of people who are important parts of the demographic and economic reality of our service area, but also to change the way we operate by building capacity through partnerships in all parts of the watershed. These activities and more are described at our website at www.ellerbecreek.org.