Stormwater Pollution Prevention Events

April 2022

We all play a part in preventing stormwater pollution. Here are some ways to get involved in April and help protect our local waterways! All events are free unless otherwise indicated.

• Cleanup Events
• Landscape & Gardening Events
• Waste Reduction Events
• Stormwater Pollution Prevention & Education

Cleanup Events

I Love A Clean San Diego Community Cleanups – Several in-person cleanup events are being offered in April to divert litter from their respective watersheds.

• April 2, 9am to 11am – Watershed Warriors Proctor Valley Community Litter Cleanup – Attend the kick-off at the cleanup site at 9am and then collect trash from around the Proctor Valley community to divert litter from the Sweetwater watershed. Offered in partnership with the County of San Diego and the Chaparral Lands Conservancy. Learn more or register.

• April 9, 8am to 12pm – Bucket Drive Fundraiser in Carlsbad – Get ready for the Creek to Bay Cleanup on April 23^rd by getting your own zero waste cleanup kit at the Bucket Drive Fundraiser in Carlsbad on Saturday April 9^th. I Love A Clean San Diego is offering a branded bucket and grabber as their gifts to you for a donation of $30. Learn more, register or order bucket.

• April 9, 9am to 11am – Watershed Warriors Alpine Community Litter Cleanup – Attend the kick-off at the cleanup site at 9am and then collect trash from around the Alpine community to divert litter from the Sweetwater watershed. Offered in partnership with Back Country Land Trust and the County of San Diego. Learn more or register.

• April 23, 9am to 12pm – 20^th Anniversary Creek to Bay Cleanup Day – In celebration of Earth Week (April 18 through April 22), help beautify sites throughout San Diego County by collecting litter from neighborhoods. Registration opens April 1^st. Learn more or register.

• April 28, 3pm to 5pm – Sunset Sweep: Paradise Canyon Community Cleanup – Attend the kick-off at the cleanup site at 3pm and then get out there to beautify the Paradise Canyon neighborhood and divert trash from the San Diego Bay watershed. Offered in partnership with Think Blue.  Learn more or register.

• April 30, 9am to 11am – Watershed Warriors Casa De Oro Community Litter Cleanup – Attend the kick-off at the cleanup site at 9am and then collect trash from around the Casa De Oro community to divert litter from the Sweetwater watershed. Offered in partnership with the County of San Diego. Learn more or register.

San Diego River Park Foundation – The following river cleanups, field assessments, water quality monitoring, and Earth Day events are being offered throughout the month of April. Learn more details on each of the below events by scrolling through the events calendar. RSVP required.

• River Rescue Cleanups – Wednesdays and Saturdays, 9am to 12pm – On Wednesdays and Saturdays throughout the month, come out and assist the core volunteer group with river cleanups. Locations change weekly and will be emailed to you the Wednesday prior to the Saturday cleanup events, and on Friday prior to the Wednesday cleanup events.

• River Field Assessment Teams – Tuesdays and Fridays, 9am to 12pm – On Tuesdays and Fridays throughout the month, the team will walk different segments of the San Diego River in the Mission Valley area to identify issues affecting the River, such as trash, storm water debris and illegal dumping.

• River Garden Club – Point Loma Native Plant Garden – Get to know your neighborhood native plant garden and join the Garden Restoration Team with watering, weeding, trail maintenance, pruning, plant identification, a garden tour, and more!

  • April 10, 9am to 11am – Learn more.

  • April 24, 9am to 11am – Learn more.

• Water Quality Monitoring Events – Come join the RiverWatch team in various locations to see how they monitor the water quality of the San Diego River.

• April 22, 8:30am to 12:30pm – East County. Learn more or register.

• April 24, 8am to 11:30am – Mission Valley. Learn more or register.

• Viejas Earth Day – April 20, 3:30pm to 7pm – Join Viejas Earth Day family-friendly earth fair. Learn more.

• Curious Kids: Old Town Historic State Park Earth Day – April 23, 10am to 1pm – In celebration of Earth Day and the inaugural event at the new Iipay - Tipai Kumeyaay Mut Niihepok (Land of First People) exhibit, see some of the diverse native plants and animals utilized for food, rituals, and land management. Includes educational information about native flora and fauna surrounding the San Diego River and how native plants support native species of butterflies and hummingbirds. Learn more.   

Surfrider San Diego Beach Cleanups – Join the San Diego chapter of the Surfrider Foundation in its ongoing beach and neighborhood cleanups. Meet at the designated locations below and look for the blue Surfrider tent.

• Ongoing – Solo Cleanups – Participate in safe, physically distant ‘solo’ cleanups on your own – at the beach, in your neighborhood, at your local park – or anywhere in your watershed. Learn more about solo cleanup guidelines, how to tally your trash cleanup activity, and how you can make a difference in preventing trash from reaching the beach in the first place.

• April 2, 9am to 11am – Ocean Beach Pier Cleanup – Help with a beach and street cleanup at Ocean Beach Pier. Meet at Ocean Beach Veterans’ Plaza. Learn more.

• April 16, 9am to 11am – Moonlight Beach Cleanup – Help with a beach and street cleanup at Moonlight Beach. Meet near the restrooms. Learn more.

• April 16, 9am to 11am – Imperial Beach Cleanup – Help with a beach and street cleanup in Imperial Beach. Meet at The Spirit of Imperial Beach Statue and look for the blue Surfrider tent! Learn more.

Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve – Friday Stewardship Sessions – April 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29, 9am to 12pm – Join stewardship volunteers on Fridays in April in caring for the resources of the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve by establishing, restoring, and maintaining the native plant gardens and habitat, removing graffiti and litter, and helping to clean up the beaches. Learn more or register for the April 1^st, 8^th, 15^th, 22^nd, and 29^th events.

San Diego Coastkeeper Cleanup Events – The following cleanups are being offered in April.

• Six Cleanup Challenge, Flexible Dates/Times – Form a group and participate in the Six Cleanup Challenge to positively impact communities and outdoor spaces up and down the watershed. Pick up trash from two challenge sites in three categories – coastal, inland, and urban – and receive a certificate of completion and appreciation packet as a prize. Learn more and see list of challenge sites.  

Preserve Calavera Restoration Events – Join Preserve Calavera to help with their April restoration events to improve the conditions of local watersheds. Help remove invasive species and/or plant native plants and seeds.

• April 9, 9am to 10:30am – Rancho La Costa Preserve, Carlsbad. Learn more.
• April 16, 9am to 10:30am – El Corazon, Oceanside. Learn more.

City of Oceanside Earth Day of Service and Celebration – April 23, 9am to 1pm – Join Green Oceanside for an Earth Day of Service and Celebration at Buccaneer Park in Oceanside! Check out booths hosted by local environmental organizations in a family friendly atmosphere and register to pick up debris and litter at one of five locations along Loma Alta and Buena Vista Creek to keep Oceanside beautiful, in coordination with the regional Creek to Bay Cleanup. Learn more.

Landscape & Gardening Events

WaterSmart Residential Landscape and Irrigation Webinars and Workshops – The San Diego County Water Authority’s WaterSmart Program is providing the following free events during the month of April. These classes are sponsored in part by Member Agencies and the County of San Diego.

• WaterSmart 4-Class Landscape Makeover Series – Spring Wednesdays Online 4-Class Series – April 20^th, 27^th, May 4^th, and May 11^th, 5:30pm to 8:30pm – Participate in a free educational program that helps you gather the skills needed to transform your high-water-use lawn into a beautiful, sustainable landscape. Classes will be held virtually. Learn more.

• Capitacion de QWEL: Aprenda la ciencia, los principios y las practices – de Abril 12 a Junio 7, 6pm to 8pm – Aprenda la ciencia, los principios y las prácticas de los paisajes con uso eficiente del agua. Las clases cumplen con los criterios APLD, CLCA, NALP, IA y QWEL. La participación está limitada a personas que viven o trabajan en el condado de San Diego. Aproveche esta capacitación GRATUITA para aumentar sus conocimientos y habilidades. Los exámenes presenciales son GRATIS. Se aplica una tarifa de supervisión de examen de $30 a los exámenes en línea. Aprende mas o para registrarte.

Circling Back to Nature Garden Tour – California Native Gardens of East San Diego County ($$ fee varies) – April 9, 9am to 4pm – The San Diego chapter of the California Native Plant Society is hosting their 8^th annual Garden Tour, featuring beautiful native gardens located in the Mount Helix/La Mesa, Allied Gardens, Santee, and other East County areas. This year’s featured gardens illustrate a variety of habitat plants, dry streambed bioswales, pool-to-pond conversion, water catchment devices, slope gardens, and more. Tickets are $30 pre-purchased through April 8^th/$35 at door. Learn more or register.

University of California Cooperative Extension’s (UCCE) Integrated Pest Management (IPM) - Healthy Garden – Healthy Home Program – UCCE IPM’s Healthy Garden Healthy Home Program is offering free online webinars in April that will help improve your garden, manage pests, and conserve water.  

• April 9, 10am to 11:30am – Save Water & Money, Irrigation and Water Runoff Management Workshop – Learn how to evaluate you irrigation systems and avoid runoff and erosion issues. Learn more or register
• April 23, 10am to 11:30am – How to Grow a Salsa Garden! – Learn the proper planting for a healthier backyard salsa garden and tips for controlling common pests and diseases. Learn more or register.

University of California (UC) Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program (IPM) Urban and Community Webinar Series – Invasive Species in California – April 21, 12pm to 1pm – Participate in UC IPM’s webinar series to learn more about pest identification, management, and using pesticides around the home and garden. April’s webinar will cover key invasive species in California, and what actions you can take to reduce their spread. Learn more about the monthly webinars or register.

Rose Creek Native Plant Garden Work Party – April 9, 9am to 11am – Join the Friends of Rose Creek to work on The Nature School’s native plant interpretive garden behind Rose Creek Cottage in Pacific Beach. Help weed, water, remove invasive non-native plants and trash, and plant native species. This is an easy one-to-two-hour project and great for children of all ages. Learn more.

Mission Bay Marshes: Work Party at Kendall-Frost – April 16, 9am to 11am – Join the Friends of Mission Bay Marshes to help remove non-native plants, plant and maintain native plants, and more. Learn more.

The Water Conservation Garden – The following garden events will be offered in April.

• April 20, 9:30am – Storytime with Ms. Smarty-Plants – Join Ms. Smarty-Plants™ on the 3^rd Wednesday of every month for a featured holiday-themed story followed by a craft. Storytime is free with Garden Admission. Learn more or register.
• San Diego Tree Week – San Diego Tree Week, an initiative of The Water Conservation Garden, will bring neighbors together to plant trees in their community. Businesses, schools, and individuals will come together to celebrate the many benefits of trees including slowing climate change, preventing soil erosion, enhancing water quality, attracting birds and wildlife, and more.
  • April 20-27 – There are many ways you can get involved during San Diego Tree Week. Learn more or register.
  • April 23, 10am to 12:30pm – San Diego Tree Week – Donuts and Trees Workshops – FREE donut and tree; first-come, first-served. Celebrate San Diego Tree Week by learning which is the “Right Tree, Right Place” from Certified Arborist, Jose Bedoya of Leaf it to Us, plus planting and care with Master Arborist, Brad Brown of Tree Life Nursery. Free with garden entry. Learn more or register.

Earth Day Festival at the Alta Vista Botanical Gardens – April 23, 10am to 3pm – Connect with nature and go green at this free fun event for the community. Events include children’s activities (recycled art, handle worms and compost, paint Earth Day Rocks), music throughout the day, Ricardo Breceda sculptures, plant sale, vendors and more. Learn more.

San Diego Sustainable Living Permaculture Design Certificate Online Course with Optional Hands-On Intensive ($$ fees vary) – Signup now for May 14 through July 23 course – Over a ten-week period, this certification course teaches you how to build a resilient community using an integrated ecological design system aimed at transforming gardens, businesses, farms, and communities into fully functional ecosystems. Topics include permaculture ethics and principles, climate understanding, water and greywater harvesting, soil food web, plant ecology and food forests, community design and eco-villages, and more. Learn more and sign up.

Landscape and Water-Savings Webinars – A series of landscape and water-savings webinars are being offered throughout the month of April. Dates and times vary. Hosted by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. See calendar and learn more or register.

• Irrigation & Water Use Efficiency – Learn how to design a yard using the principles of watershed wise landscaping. Topics include overview of an irrigation system, programming a controller, why drip over spray, and easy ways to conserve water.
• Rainwater Harvesting – Learn how to design your yard using watershed-wise landscaping including criteria and considerations when selecting rain capture methods such as swales, berms, cisterns, and integrating hardscapes.
• Drip Irrigation Fundamentals – Learn how to save your landscape by understanding soil moisture balance, key components of a properly installed drip system, typical problems with drip and how to avoid them, and developing a successful maintenance practice.
• California-Friendly Native Plant Webinar – Learn how to design a yard using the four principles of gorgeous and watershed-wise landscaping including building healthy soil, capturing rainfall, selecting native plants that minimize water use, and controlling irrigation.
• Turf: Remove, Replace, or Maintain Organically – Learn how to design your yard using principles of watershed-wise landscaping including removing your lawn without chemicals, building healthy soil, and selecting climate-appropriate and water-wise plants.
• Deciphering Your Irrigation Controller – Learn about your irrigation controller including understanding irrigation’s role in maintaining a soil moisture balance, outlining the purpose of a weather-based controller, reviewing basic terminology and programming principles, identifying special functions like cycle & soak, and troubleshooting typical problems.

Waste Reduction Events

Composting food scraps reduces waste and helps our environment!

I Love A Clean San Diego Waste Reduction Events – Join I Love A Clean San Diego and its partners in the following waste reduction events during the month of April.

• April 6, 5pm to 6pm – Recycle Right Workshop – Gain a better understanding of what it means to recycle right and learn how to dispose of those hard to recycle items and why how we recycle matters. Learn more or register. Spanish workshop offered on April 9^th 10am to 11am.
• April 21, 5pm to 6pm – Spring Cleaning Workshop – This in-person workshop will focus on green cleaning, options for donating or recycling hard-to-dispose of items, and waste-sorting guidelines. Learn more or register.

Solana Center for Environmental Innovation Waste Reduction Events – The following residential and business online, in-person and on-site events are being offered in April.

• April 5, 3:30pm to 4:30pm (Part 3) – From Bin to Bed – In this final workshop of the family fun vermicomposting series in support of global ‘worming,’ learn how to harvest and use "black gold" from your worm bin to grow a healthy garden including fun ways to harvest worm castings, why castings are great for plants, and uses for castings in the family garden. Funded by the County of San Diego Recycling in partnership with the Alpine Branch Library. Learn more or register.

• April 12, 2pm to 3pm – Commercial Food Waste Prevention Webinar – Learn strategies to reduce food waste, save money, and get ahead of state regulations impacting unincorporated businesses in San Diego County. Topics will include impacts of food waste on your business and the environment, food waste legislation (SB 1383), practical tips and strategies to prevent food waste and save money, and guidance on food donation, liability protection, tax incentives and how to get started. Funded by the County of San Diego Recycling. Learn more or register.

• April 16, 10am to 12pm – Manure Management & Composting On-Site Workshop – Fallbrook – Learn the basics of traditional composting as well as how to produce a fantastic soil amendment from composted livestock manure using management practices to protect local waterways. Funded by the County of San Diego Recycling. Site provider Bushong & Butcher Family Farm in Fallbrook. Learn more or register.

• April 16, 11am to 12:30pm – Raising Backyard Chickens On-Site Workshop – Ramona – Learn about raising backyard chickens and how they can improve the quality of your soil, reduce waste, and help save you money. Topics include local regulations for keeping backyard chickens, basic requirements for making a home sweet chicken home, feeding and keeping hens healthy and happy, and local and online resources. Funded by the County of San Diego Recycling. Site provider Ramona Ranch Vineyard and Winery in Ramona. Learn more or register.

• April 20, 10am to 2pm – Free E-Business Waste Pickup – Coastal North County Cities – A FREE e-waste pick-up service is being offered to businesses in coastal North County cities. Register by the second Friday of the month. Urban Corps will contact you to confirm pick-up. Offered in partnership with Urban Corps. Learn more or register.

• April 21, 6:30pm to 7:30pm – Introduction to Vermicomposting Webinar – Encinitas – Learn the basics and benefits of vermicomposting (worm composting) as an environmentally-friendly way to turn your food waste into nutrient-rich castings for your plants or garden beds. Includes how to set up your own worm bin. Funded by the City of Encinitas. Learn more or register.

• April 26, 6:30pm to 7:30pm – Water Wise Gardening Webinar – Learn the basics of water wise gardening including climate-appropriate planting, using mulch and compost to conserve water, managing irrigation efficiently, and soil types and gardening styles. Funded by the County of San Diego Recycling in partnership with the Fallbrook Climate Action Team. Learn more or register.

• April 30, 10am to 11am – Green Living Tour: Solana Center for Innovation – Encinitas – Learn easy steps to address issues around water, waste, soil health, and more, with practical solutions you can incorporate into your life and home. Activities to explore on-site include worm bins, greywater systems, innovative compost projects, tool lending library, water-wise garden, and more. Tour is free with $10 donation. Learn more or register.

• April 30, 10am to 1pm – San Diego Fixit Clinic – Fight our throw-away society, save money and help the environment by keeping items out of the landfills. Bring your broken, non-functioning things: electronics, appliances, computers, toys, bicycles, clothes, etc. for assessment, disassembly, and possible repair. Offered by Zero Waste SD in partnership with Solana Center and other collaborators. Learn more or register.

On-Site and Virtual Compost Workshops – The Living Coastal Discovery Center and City of Chula Vista are offering the following compost workshops in March where participants will learn the basics on how to start their own compost pile and turn food waste into nutrient-rich soil. Pre-recorded video compost workshops also available. Learn more or register.

• Every Sunday in April, 2pm to 3pm – On-Site Workshop free with admission.

• April 3, 2pm to 3pm – Virtual Workshop. Chula Vista residents can purchase a Soil Saver compost bin for $35 after attending virtual workshop.

SD Environmental Services One-Day Collection Events – City of San Diego – April 23, 9am to 1pm – A one-day household hazardous waste (HHW) collection event will be held at the City of San Diego, Chollas Operation Yard. Learn more.

Stormwater Pollution Prevention & Education

April 26 to 29, Schedule Varies by Day – Center for Watershed Protection – 2022 National Stormwater & Watershed In-Person Conference ($$ fees vary) – St. Petersburg, Florida – This conference will provide watershed and stormwater professionals throughout the nation information on how to increase the resiliency of our communities in response to emerging and persistent threats to our water resource. Conference format will include networking opportunities as well as technical presentations, case studies, panel discussions, and workshops. Note: agenda times based on Eastern time zone. Learn more or register.

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