By order of Sheriff Darren Weekly, Stage 1 Fire Restrictions are in place for unincorporated areas of Douglas County. Ordinance No. O-012-004 restricts open fires, open burning and the use of fireworks in the unincorporated areas of Douglas County.
By order of Sheriff Darren Weekly, Stage 1 Fire Restrictions are in place for unincorporated areas of Douglas County. Ordinance No. O-012-004 restricts open fires, open burning and the use of fireworks in the unincorporated areas of Douglas County.
In observance of the Presidents Day holiday, all Douglas County Government offices will be closed and the Link On Demand rideshare service will be unavailable on Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. Link On Demand and County offices will reopen on Tuesday, Feb. 17, for normal business. Many County services are available 24/7 by visiting online services.
Due to a statewide DMV upgrade, online driver license services are unavailable, and motor vehicle and MVExpress kiosk services will be unavailable beginning the evening of Friday, Feb. 13, until the system re-launches on Tuesday, Feb. 17. Douglas County Motor Vehicle offices will be closed on Tuesday, Feb. 17, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. for system testing.
There are many simple, every day actions you can take as a resident of Douglas County to help keep our beautiful waterways clean and healthy for generations to come. To learn more about what stormwater is and why it matters, visit our How You Can Help page first.
The safest way to wash your vehicle is to use a commercial car wash. These car washes are required to properly dispose of wastewater and many of them filter and recycle their water. If you prefer to wash your vehicle at home, consider the following actions to help keep our water clean:
When fertilizer gets carried into waterways, the excess nitrogen and phosphorus can fuel algae blooms, deplete oxygen in the water and harm fish and other aquatic life. Some algae, like blue-green algae, can even produce toxins dangerous to pets, livestock and people.
Stormwater can pick up pet waste and send it directly or via a storm sewer system into nearby creeks, rivers and lakes. Pet waste in waterbodies can make people and animals sick, promote weed and algae growth, and damage the health of the ecosystem in and around the water. Pet waste is a leading source of nutrient and bacteria pollution in urban streams and waterways.
Litter that ends up in our creeks, rivers and lakes, sometimes called aquatic trash, comes mostly from everyday activities on land. Once there, this pollution harms wildlife, damages habitats and reduces the beauty and safety of the places we love. Plastic trash is especially harmful because it never fully breaks down. Instead, it fragments into tiny “microplastics” that can be eaten by fish, birds and other animals—even making its way up the food chain.
Aquatic trash also affects human communities. It’s expensive to clean up, can negatively impact our recreation areas and creates health and safety risks when it accumulates.
The Cooperative for Local Environmental Awareness & Responsibility (CLEAR) is a regional partnership dedicated to safeguarding Douglas County’s creeks, rivers and lakes through effective stormwater management. By uniting local governments, districts and community partners, CLEAR helps ensure clean water, healthy habitats and compliance with state water quality standards. CLEAR connects the community with the resources and knowledge needed to protect water quality for generations to come. Learn more about CLEAR’s mission and impact.
