Stormwater Pollution Prevention Events
April 2023
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.
I Love A Clean San Diego (ILACSD) Community Cleanups – The following in-person cleanup events are being offered in April to divert litter from their respective watersheds and local communities.
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April 1, 9am to 11am – Watershed Warriors: Crest Community Cleanup – Attend the kick-off at the cleanup site at 9am and then collect trash from around the Crest community to divert litter from the Sweetwater. Offered in partnership with South Lane County Park and the County of San Diego. Learn more or sign up.
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April 6, 3pm to 5pm – Sunset Sweep: Swan Canyon Cleanup – Attend the kick-off at the cleanup site at 3 pm and then get out there to collect trash from around the Swan Canyon to divert litter from the San Diego Bay. Offered in partnership with San Diego Canyonlands and Think Blue San Diego. Learn more or register.
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April 8, 9am to 11am – Watershed Warriors: Alpine Community 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 San Diego River. Offered in partnership with the Alpine Community Center and the County of San Diego. Learn more or register.
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April 8, 9am to 11am – Litter Free La Mesa: La Mesa Downtown Village and Neighborhood Cleanup – Celebrate Earth Month by joining ILACSD and the City of La Mesa for a litter cleanup as part of a new Litter Free La Mesa series to divert litter from traveling to the Pacific Ocean. Attend the kick-off at the cleanup site at 9am for a talk on watersheds and recycling followed by collecting trash around the La Mesa downtown village and neighborhood. Offered in partnership with the City of La Mesa. Learn more or register.
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April 15, 9am to 11am – Watershed Warriors: Rancho San Diego Cleanup – Attend the kick-off at the cleanup site at 9am and then collect trash from around the Rancho San Diego community to divert litter from the Sweetwater. Offered in partnership with the County of San Diego. Learn more or sign up.
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April 22, 9am to 12pm – 21st Annual Creek to Bay Cleanup Day – In celebration of Earth Week (April 17 through April 21), help beautify sites throughout San Diego County by collecting litter from neighborhoods. Registration opens April 1st. Learn more or register.
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April 29, 9am to 11am – Watershed Warriors: San Dieguito Cleanup – Attend the kick-off at the cleanup site at 9am and then collect trash from around the San Dieguito community to divert litter from the San Dieguito. Offered in partnership with San Dieguito County Park and the County of San Diego. Learn more or register.
Surfrider/Coastkeeper San Diego Beach and Neighborhood Cleanups – Join the San Diego chapters of the Surfrider Foundation and Coastkeeper in their ongoing beach and neighborhood cleanups. Meet at the designated locations below and look for the blue Surfrider or Coastkeeper tent.
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April 1, 9am to 11am – Ocean Beach Cleanup (Surfrider) – Help with a beach and street cleanup at Ocean Beach Pier. Meet at Ocean Beach Veterans’ Plaza. Learn more or register.
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April 15, 9am to 11am – Moonlight State Beach Cleanup (Surfrider) – Help with a beach and street cleanup at Moonlight Beach. Meet next to the restrooms. Learn more or register.
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April 15, 10am to 12pm – Imperial Beach (Surfrider) – Help with a beach and street cleanup in Imperial Beach. Meet on the sand behind The Spirit of Imperial Beach Statue in Imperial Beach. Learn more or register.
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Ongoing – Solo Cleanups (Surfrider) – 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.
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Six Cleanup Challenge, Flexible Dates/Times (Coastkeeper) – 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. Receive a certificate of completion and appreciation packet as a prize. Learn more and see list of challenge sites.
UCCE Master Gardener Association of San Diego – The following Ask a Master Gardener events will be offered during the month of April where you can get all your gardening questions answered including garden planning, watering, pest control, and anything garden related.
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April 1-30, 10am to 4pm – Master Gardener (MG) Demonstration Gardens at Carlsbad Flower Fields – Learn more by clicking any of the daily calendar links.
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Coronado Flower Show and One-of-a-Kind Birdhouse Sales. Learn more below.
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April 15, 11am to 4pm – South Bay Earth Day. Learn more.
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April 23, 10am to 2pm – Kensington Earth Day. Learn more.
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Spring Home & Garden Show and One-of-a-Kind Birdhouse Sales. Learn more below.
San Diego Canyonlands Cleanup and Restoration Volunteer Events – Join San Diego Canyonlands and various communities in their local habitat restoration and cleanup efforts during the month of April. The work at each event varies but can include planting/caring for native plants, removing invasive plants, and removing trash and debris from restoration areas.
Green Oceanside Earth Month 2023 Events – Green Oceanside is celebrating Earth Month with a variety of family-friendly virtual and in-person volunteer events. Learn more at their Earth Month 2023 webpage.
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April 3, 10, 17, 24 – Virtual Eco-Challenge Events – Each week in April the Green Oceanside team has created a fun environmental challenge to help you celebrate Earth Month! Get involved each week to win fun Oceanside prizes.
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April 20, 5pm to 9pm – Earth Day Fun Zone at the Sunset Market – Stop by the Fun Zone to enjoy family friendly games, and crafts that will center on being better stewards of our planet by conserving water, protecting our watershed, and recycling and composting right.
San Diego River Park Foundation – The following river cleanup, field assessment, and water quality monitoring events are being offered throughout the month of April. Sign up for events as individuals or as a group.
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Tuesdays and Fridays, 9am to 12pm – River Assessment Field Teams (RAFT) – On Tuesdays and Fridays throughout the month, the RAFT will walk different segments of the San Diego River to identify issues affecting the river, such as trash, debris, and illegal dumping. Learn more or sign up.
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Wednesdays and Saturdays, 9am to 12pm – River Rescue Cleanups – 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. Learn more or sign up.
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April 6, 8am to 10am – Team E.C.O. (Education Center Operations) Cleanups – Help Team E.C.O. care for the site of the future River Center at Grant Park by trimming vegetation, removing graffiti, and picking up trash. Learn more or sign up.
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April 16, 9am to 11am – River Garden Club Cleanup – National Volunteer Week – Help San Diego River Park Foundation staff or volunteers beautify the Point Loma Native Plant Garden and River Mouth at the river estuary. Activities include watering, planting, pruning, weeding, path maintenance, and more! Learn more or sign up.
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April 19, 8am to 12pm – Preserve Steward Day – Help Preserve Stewards care for the headwaters of the San Diego River by maintaining trails, removing invasive non-native plants, caring for native plants, installing irrigation, and more. Learn more or sign up.
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April 22, 9am to 12pm – Clean & Green: Creek to Bay River Cleanup – Support a healthy river and be part of the annual Creek to Bay Cleanup while interacting with a group of like-minded people by helping the core volunteer team with River Cleanups! Learn more or sign up.
Buena Vista Audubon Weekly Nature Center Garden Work Party Events – April 3, 10, 17, and 24, 9am to 12pm – Join the crew at the Nature Center on Monday mornings to do a little maintenance work around the native plant garden and trails. Learn more about the April 3rd, 10th, 17th, and 24th events.
San Diego Audubon Habitat Restoration Events – The following work parties and restoration events will be offered during the month of April. The focus will be to help restore coastal dune habitat by removing invasive plants, replanting native plants, and conducting other land management activities.
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April 4, 9:30am to 1:00pm – Dune Defenders Work Party – Help restore coastal dune habitat by removing invasive plants and conducting other land management activities at various California Least Tern preserves in Mission Bay. Learn more.
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April 8, 9am to 11am – Rose Creek Native Plant Garden Work Party – 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 trash and invasive plants, and plant native species. This is an easy one-to-two-hour project and great for children of all ages. Learn more.
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April 22, 9am to 11am – Wander the Wetlands and Restoration Work Party – Wander the Wetlands at Kendall-Frost Marsh Reserve and help build Ridgway's rail nesting platforms, tackle invasive species, plant natives, rabbit-proof the restoration area, and more. Offered in partnership with UC San Diego Natural Reserve System and San Diego Audubon Society. Learn more.
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April 29, 11am to 2:30pm – Partner Event: Every Day Is Earth Day – One San Diego – Celebrate Earth Month southeastern San Diego style! Climate change is here – are all communities prepared equally? Attend this free event in celebration of Earth Month. San Diego Audubon Society will answer your questions and talk about their Native Seed Library program. Event support provided by several partnering organizations including the City and County of San Diego. Learn more or register.
Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve – Friday Stewardship Sessions – April 7, 14, 21, and 28, 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 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th events.
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.
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April 8, 9am to 10:30am – Rancho La Costa Preserve, Carlsbad. Learn more.
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April 15, 9am to 10:30am – El Corazon, Oceanside. Learn more.
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April 22, 9am to 10:30am – Rancho La Costa Preserve, Carlsbad. Learn more.
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April 23, 2pm to 3:30pm – BVAS Neighborhood Garden Tour, Carlsbad. Learn more.
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April 29, 9am to 10:30am – Rancho La Costa Preserve, Carlsbad. Learn more.
Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation – April Restoration Event – Hubbs Trail – April 22, 9am to 12pm – Participate in the monthly restoration event at Discovery Center Trail to help with invasive species removal, native planting, and erosion control with fellow community members. Learn more or sign up.
City of Carlsbad – Trail Volunteer Arbor Day Cleanup Event (location TBD) – April 22, 8:30am to 11:30am – Join other like-minded volunteers in helping the City of Carlsbad maintain and preserve their trails while having fun, keeping fit, and learning about the natural environment. Tasks include erosion control, vegetation trimming and weeding, and fence repair. Learn more or RSVP.
The Living Coastal Discovery Center – Team Up to Cleanup: Sweetwater Marsh – April 22, 10:30am to 11:30am – Join other families and volunteers who are passionate about making an impact in their community to help beautify the marsh by cleaning up areas near the bay affected by trash and debris. Learn more or register.
City of Lemon Grove – Annual Arbor Day Event – April 22, 9am to 12pm – Celebrate the 2nd Annual Earth Day family event at Treganza Park in Lemon Grove. Event includes games, kids’ activities, informational booths, and more. Learn more.
WaterSmart Residential Landscape and Irrigation Events – The San Diego County Water Authority’s WaterSmart Program is providing the following free online and in-person 3-Hour Landscape Workshops during the month of April. Funded in part by the County of San Diego Watershed Protection Program.
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In-Person Workshops
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April 1, 9am to 12pm – Plants: Inspiring Choices for Our Region – Learn about which plants to use in designing a low-water-use landscape and why some are more water-efficient than others. Learn more or register.
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April 8, 9am to 12pm – Water & Irrigation: Utilizing a Precious Resource – Learn strategies to use our limited water sources wisely, including integrating stormwater capture elements into your landscape and conserving water through simple irrigation system retrofits. Learn more or register.
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April 15, 9am to 12pm – Installation & Maintenance: Protecting Your Investment – Learn strategies for success in removing your turf and installing and maintaining your landscaping. Learn more or register.
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Online Workshops
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April 19, 5:30pm to 8:30pm – Plan Ahead: Understanding Soil and Site Assessments – Learn about the steps needed to turn water-thirsty turf into a beautiful and sustainable landscape including how to rethink, redesign and renovate your landscape and the important role of healthy soil in a successful landscape. Learn more or register. Learn more or register.
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April 26, 5:30pm to 8:30pm – Design: Shape Your Space – Learn how to integrate your landscape into your personal lifestyle. Learn more or register.
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Past Recordings – View past workshops.
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Designer At Your Door Water Conservation and Landscape Makeover Service – Transform your yard into a beautiful water-saving landscape. Register and attend five 3-hour WaterSmart Landscape Workshops (above) and qualify to receive one-on-one support from industry professionals. Funded in part by the County of San Diego Watershed Protection Program. Learn more about homeowner eligibility and apply.
San Diego Botanic Garden Monthly SAPLinGS Sessions – Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, time ranges 10am to 12pm – Children are invited to join for Science, Art, and Play in Garden Spaces (SAPLinGS) activities. Each month the focus will be on a different plant or nature-based theme. Science activities engage kids with cool science and hands-on learning that stimulates curiosity. Art activities focus on projects that spark the imagination. Go to the April calendar for specific SAPLinGS dates of interest and to learn more.
The Water Conservation Garden – The following garden events will be offered in April.
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Wednesdays in April, 3pm or 4pm – Landscape Design On-Line Consultation – Winter 2023 – ($$ fees vary) – Receive helpful advice from professional landscape designers and architects on how to make changes to your landscape, incorporate water-wise plants and materials, qualify for a rebate, or obtain guidance for installing a new water efficient landscape. Offered in 45-minute timeslots beginning at 3pm or 4pm. Learn more or register.
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San Diego Tree Week, April 22-29 – San Diego Tree Week, an initiative of The Water Conservation Garden, will bring together businesses, schools, and individuals to plant trees in their community and celebrate their many benefits including slowing climate change, preventing soil erosion, enhancing water quality, attracting birds and wildlife, and more. Learn more about the events and how you can get involved.
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April 19, 9:30am to 10:30am – Terrific Trees! Bilingual Storytime with Ms. Smarty-Plants™ – Join Ms. Smarty-Plants™ this month for a special bilingual storytime with a tree craft in celebration of San Diego Tree Week. Storytime is free with Garden Admission. Registration will close on Monday, April 17th. Learn more or register.
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April 23, 9:30am to 11am – Nature Therapy – The Presence of Trees – ($$ fees vary) – Discover why humans and trees are designed to be together. Enjoy an expert-led, slow-paced journey of exploration in celebration of San Diego Tree Week with this special edition Nature Therapy. Sun tea will be served. Learn more or register.
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Trees and Treats Workshops – The following workshop talks by arborists will focus on tree selection, planting, and care. Come enjoy FREE trees, talks & treats. Learn more or register.
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April 29, 10am to 11:30am – Right Tree, Right Place – Certified Arborist, Jose Bedoya of Leaf it to Us.
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April 29, 11:30am to 12pm – Greywater Landscape Design founder, Joseah Rosales.
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April 29, 12pm to 1pm – Planting & Care – Master Arborist, Brad Brown of Tree Life Consulting.
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Garden Design Workshop – Learn how to identify critical steps for successfully designing a watershed-wise landscape including developing a successful planting plan, developing a palette of climate-appropriate plants, and sizing and siting the rainwater capture area.
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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.
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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.
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Goodbye Grass: Qualify for a Turf Replacement Rebate – Learn about replacing your lawn with a watershed-wise landscape, including removing turf without the use of chemicals, replacing it with climate-appropriate plantings, and how to apply for a turf replacement rebate.
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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.
California Native Plant Society (CNPS) Events – The following events are being offered in April and highlight the environmental benefits of native plants including water conservation and reduction in fertilizer and pesticide use.
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April 1 and 2, 9am to 4pm – CNPS San Diego Native Garden Tour ($35 for 2-day ticket) – The San Diego chapter of the California Native Plant Society is hosting their 9th annual Garden Tour, featuring beautiful native gardens located in the San Marcos/Escondido (April 1st) and Encinitas (April 2nd) areas. This year’s gardens feature a native-landscaped HOA park, an elementary school–created habitat trail, and a Mediterranean botanical garden. Tickets are $35 and are on sale through March 30th. Learn more or register.
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April 6, 5:30pm to 6:30pm – Naturehood Monthly Gardening Webinars – Super (blooming) Bouquets – Learn how to create floral arrangements featuring California native plants! Learn more and register.
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April 15 through 22 – CNPS San Diego Native Plant Week – Participate in a variety of events and activities during California Native Plant week. Check back for more details.
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April 18, 6pm to 9pm – CNPS San Diego 50th Anniversary Celebration – Help CNPS celebrate 50 years of native plants’ protection and education at the Mission Trails Visitor Center. Learn more.
Olivenhain Municipal Water District Complimentary WaterSmart Landscape Design Workshop – April 3, 5:30pm to 7:30pm – Learn how to transform your yard into a beautiful, water-saving landscape. This workshop will feature methods to reduce outdoor water use and increase irrigation efficiencies and provide homeowners simple, step-by-step approaches for creating attractive, WaterSmart landscapes that are easy to maintain. Site location Encinitas Community & Senior Center. Learn more or register.
Poway Valley Garden Club Annual Flower Show & Plant Sale – April 15, 2023 – 9am to 3pm – Poway Valley Garden Club will host the 44th Annual Standard Flower Show at Old Poway Park. Come and see a wide variety of dazzling plants and flowers on display in Templars Hall or express your own creativity by submitting your own entry. All ages are welcome to come and enjoy a fabulous day of gardening ideas, plant sales, and more. Learn more.
Earth Day Festival at the Alta Vista Botanical Gardens – April 22, 10am to 3pm – Join in on this free event for the community to celebrate the Earth with fun and informative activities for the whole family. Events include a variety of children’s activities, information on environmental topics like sorting trash and recycling, music throughout the day, plant sales and advice, garden shop, vendors, and more. Learn more.
I Love A Clean San Diego (ILACSD) Waste Reduction Events – The following waste reduction events are being offered in April.
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April 15, 10am to 11am – Green Routines Workshop – Learn how to eliminate waste from your daily routine by adopting zero waste practices throughout your home. Workshop also includes the opportunity to make DIY zero waste cleaning and personal care products to take home and Swap and Shop booths for secondhand clothes, books, toys, and other trinkets. Event will be held in person at the EUSD Farm Lab in Encinitas. Learn more or register.
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April 29, 10am to 11am – Say No To Single-Use Plastic Webinar – Learn about many zero waste product swaps to eliminate single-use plastic items from all areas of your daily routine. Topics include why it’s so important for our health and the health of the environment to reduce plastic usage, what happens to plastic after we use it and throw it away, how to properly recycle or dispose of plastic waste, zero waste product swaps for single-use items, and how to make a reusable shopping bag out of an upcycled shirt. Sponsored by the City of Carlsbad. Learn more or register.
Solana Center for Environmental Innovation Waste Reduction Events – The following residential and business online and in-person events are being offered in April.
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April 19 – Free E-Business Waste Pickup – A free e-waste pick-up service is being offered to businesses in San Diego County. Register by the second Friday (April 14) of the month for the following Wednesday pickup. Urban Corps will contact you to confirm pick-up. Offered in partnership with Urban Corps. Learn more or sign up.
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April 29, 10am to 12pm – Landscaping for Watershed Protection Panel and Workshop – Ramona – A panel of experts will discuss the County of San Diego’s watershed protection and composting demonstration site located within Ramona’s International Equestrian Center. Topics include mid-scale windrow composting, water catchment basins and rock interrupters, native plantings, and compost socks and blankets. Offered in partnership with San Diego Country Estates Association. Sponsored by the County of San Diego. Learn more or register.
The Living Coastal Discovery Center – Learn the basics on how to start your own compost pile and turn food waste into nutrient-rich soil by attending the following on-site and virtual events. Chula Vista residents can purchase a Soil Saver compost bin for $35 after attending one of the City’s composting workshops. Sponsored by the City of Chula Vista. Learn more or register.
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Every Sunday in April, 2pm to 3pm – On-site workshop free with admission.
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April 2, 2pm to 3pm – Virtual workshop.
- Pre-recoded workshops – View video compost workshops
SD Environmental Services One-Day Collection Events – City of San Diego – April 29, 9am to 1pm – A one-day household hazardous waste (HHW) collection event will be held at the Balboa Park Lower Inspiration Parking Lot. Learn more.
I Love A Clean San Diego (ILACSD) Miramar Landfill Bus Tours – City of San Diego Residents Only – April 12, 9am to 11am – Attend this two-hour bus tour for a peek behind the scenes to find out what really happens when you dispose of waste and clear up the myth of throwing something “away”. Offered in partnership with the City of San Diego’s Environmental Services Department. Learn more or register.
Center for Watershed Protection 2023 National Stormwater & Watershed In-Person Conference – April 24 to 27, Schedule Varies by Day ($$ fees vary) – San Diego, California – 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 resources. Conference format will include networking opportunities as well as technical presentations, case studies, panel discussions, and workshops. Learn more or register.
Olivenhain Municipal Water District Annual Poster Contest – Poster entries due April 3 – OMWD is inviting all fourth-grade students living or attending school in their service area to design a poster emphasizing the need to make water use efficiency a lifestyle. Students who enter will be eligible to win prizes and have their posters featured in a 2024 calendar and on OMWD vehicles. Learn more or register.
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