Stormwater Pollution Prevention Events
APRIL 2025
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.
Ongoing beach and community cleanups help protect the County’s waterways from stormwater pollution and can help preserve water quality for years to come. The County thanks the following beach and community cleanup event partners for their ongoing support in preventing stormwater pollution: I Love A Clean San Diego (ILACSD), Surfrider Foundation San Diego, San Diego Coastkeeper, The San Diego River Park Foundation, Think Blue San Diego, Project Clean Water, Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve (TRNERR), San Diego Canyonlands, San Dieguito River Park, San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy, Friends of Ruffin Canyon, Friends of Rose Creek, Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation, California State Parks Foundation, Green Oceanside, Clean California, City of San Diego, City of Chula Vista, City of La Mesa, Nature Collective/San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve, ASCENDtials, Emerald Keepers, San Diego Bird Alliance, and Port of San Diego Environment.
April 1
April 4
April 5
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8am to 10am – Emerald Keepers Beach Cleanup – Coronado North Beach. Learn more.
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8:00am to 10:30am – San Diego Canyonlands Stewardship Saturday, Swan Canyon. Learn more or sign up.
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9am to 11am – Surfrider Foundation Ocean Beach Cleanup. Learn more or register.
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9am to 11am – ILACSD and County of San Diego - Watershed Warriors: Flinn Springs County Park. Learn more or register.
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9am to 11am – ILACSD and County of San Diego - Watershed Warriors: Dunbar Lane Street Sweep Learn more or register.
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9am to 12pm – Friends of Ruffin Canyon, Ruffin Canyon Cleanup. Learn more.
April 8
April 9
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9am to 12pm – Nature Collective San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve Habitat Restoration. Learn more or register.
April 10
April 11
April 12
April 15
April 17
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8:30am to 12:30pm – San Diego River Park Foundation Water Quality Monitoring: West County. Learn more or sign up.
April 18
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8:30am to 12:30pm – San Diego River Park Foundation Water Quality Monitoring: East County. Learn more or sign up.
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9am to 12pm – TRNERR Friday Stewardship Session for Long-term Volunteers. Learn more or sign up.
April 19
April 20
April 22
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9am to 11am – Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation Earth Day Trail Cleanup Event – Discovery Center. Learn more or sign up.
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9am to 12pm – The San Diego River Park Foundation River Habitat Restoration. Learn more or sign up.
April 25
April 26 (Creek to Bay Cleanup Day)
I Love a Clean San Diego's 23rd Annual Creek to Bay Cleanup Day Events, 9am to 12pm. ILACSD hosts Creek to Bay Cleanup Day every April region-wide and relies on an amazing network of non-profit partners to lead sites across the County. Use this link to learn more and find a site near you. Registration opens April 1. Check out a few of the many participating partner links below to join their hosted site for Creek to Bay Cleanup Day Events.
Other Cleanup Events
April 27
April 29
Early Sign-Up May Events:
Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation – Lagoona Kahuna 2025 Cleanup Challenge ($$ fees vary)
Monthly/Ongoing or On Your Own Stormwater Pollution Prevention Events:
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Tuesdays and Fridays, 9am to 12pm – The San Diego River Park Foundation River Assessment Field Teams (RAFT). Learn more or sign up.
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Tuesdays and Fridays, 9am to 12pm – San Dieguito River Park Dust Devils Habitat and Trail Restoration Events – Inland and Coastal Trails. Learn more.
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Wednesdays and Saturdays, 8am to 11am – The San Diego River Park Foundation River Rescue Cleanups. Learn more or sign up.
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San Diego Surfrider Foundation Ongoing Solo Cleanups. Learn more.
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Coastkeeper San Diego Six Cleanup Challenge, Flexible Dates/Times. Learn more and see list of challenge sites.
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ILACSD Adopt-A-Beach/Adopt-A Canyon Program, Flexible Dates/Flexible Times – Adopt a beach or canyon and lead independent cleanups on your schedule. Learn more and adopt a location.
UCCE Master Gardener Association of San Diego – The following events will be offered in April where you can get all your gardening questions answered by a UCCE certified Master Gardener. Topics include 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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April 6, 10am to 1pm – Rancho Bernardo Community Council’s Earth Day Fair. Learn more here.
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April 12, 8am to 12pm – Plant Sale – Valley Center. Learn more here.
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April 12, 11am to 2pm – Kensington-Talmadge Earth Day Celebration. Learn more here.
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April 26, 10am to 1pm – Mosaic Community Garden Tenth Anniversary Celebration, Chula Vista. Learn more here.
University of California Cooperative Extension’s (UCCE) Integrated Pest Management (IPM) – Healthy Garden-Healthy Home Virtual Community Workshops – The following workshops are being offered in partnership with the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UCANR) and the County of San Diego. Learn more about these events here.
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April 5, 10am to 11:30am – Starting to Grow You Own Food? Win the Battle Against Pests: Healthy Gardening – Learn how to keep your plants healthy, prevent pests, and understand that good bugs and bad bugs that are a part of every garden. Register here.
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April 26, 10am to 11:30am – Growing Fresh Herbs for Cooking: Herb Garden Pests & Diseases – Learn how to grow herbs in containers, recognize common pests and plant diseases, and safely prevent and control pests and diseases. Register here.
The Water Conservation Garden – Free 2025 County Workshops – The following workshops will be offered in April sponsored by the County of San Diego.
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April 12, 10am to 12:30pm – Living with Fire: Water-Wise Native Landscapes for Beauty and Practicality – Join landscape architect Gren Rubin for the latest protocols for creating beautiful yet functional native landscapes in fire-prone areas. Presentation includes practical, useable information and case-history photos and analysis. Learn more or register.
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April 23, 11am to 12pm – Water Wisely: A Beginner’s Guide to Irrigation Systems – Join Mike Madewell of Hunter Industries to learn the basics of irrigation systems, including sprinklers, drip systems, and smart controllers, along with installation tips for both drip and spray systems. Learn more or register.
University of California Cooperative Extension’s (UCCE) Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program – The following events will be offered in April.
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April 15, 8am to 4:30pm (ENGLISH); April 29, 8am to 4:30pm (SPANISH) – Pesticide Safety Zoom Workshop, Instructor Training (fee $300) – The Train the Trainer workshop will qualify participants to train fieldworkers and pesticide handlers under CA pesticide regulations. Learn more or register.
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April 17, 12pm to 1pm – Urban & Community Webinar Series – Myth or Fact?: Debunking Pest Myths – Learn about which ‘facts’ are true and which ones are just popular myths about various pests like ticks, bed bugs, and more. Learn more or register.
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April 30, 3pm to 4pm – UC Ag Experts Talk – Integrated Soil Health Management – Learn about the history of soil-borne disease management in California strawberries and the future direction of soil health research and soil-borne disease management. Talk provided by Joji Muramoto, Cooperative Extension Specialist with the University of California at Santa Cruz. Learn more or register.
County of San Diego "Preserve the Planet" Compost Giveaway – Join the County of San Diego and celebrate Earth Month at our nature preserves! From 8am to 4pm from April 5-6, the County of San Diego will be offering FREE compost while supplies last at El Capitan County Preserve and Santa Ysabel Nature Center. Learn more.
Alta Vista Botanical Gardens Earth Day Festival – April 19, 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, music throughout the day, plant sales and advice, garden shops, vendors, and more. Learn more.
Association of Professional Landscape Designers International Landscape Design Conference – April 24 through 28, Various Times ($$ fees vary) – This year’s theme, Biodiversity, highlights the variety of flora that is cultivated here. It also showcases the responsible practices designers can employ to respect the climate and surrounding plant ecosystems that support local wildlife. Through a variety of events including a speaker series, private and public garden tours, and pre-/post conference activities, attendees will learn about various regions and plants, the art of creating thriving habitat gardens, and rewilding our lawns. Learn more or register.
California Native Plant Society San Diego Chapter – Garden Committee Spring Native Plant Exchange/Giveaway – April 26, 9am to 12pm – Join the Garden Committee at the Bird Park Learning Garden/Balboa Park for a morning of community, refreshments, and a guided garden tour! Bring your own native plants to share. Native plants donated by Moosa Creek Nursery. Learn more.
Landscape and Water-Savings Webinars – A series of landscape and water-savings webinars will be offered in April. Dates and times vary. All events will be virtual unless otherwise noted. Hosted by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. See calendar and learn more or register.
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California Friendly Native Plant Landscape – Learn how to design a yard using the four principles of gorgeous and watershed-wise landscaping including building healthy soil, capturing rainwater, selecting native plants that minimize water use, and controlling irrigation.
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Keeping Rain in the Garden – 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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Goodbye Grass, Hello Garden: Qualify for Rebates – 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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Garden Design Workshop – Learn how to identify critical steps for successfully designing a watershed-wise landscape including creating a successful planting plan, developing a palette of climate-appropriate plants, and sizing and siting the rainwater capture area. (NOTE: IN-PERSON workshop offered in Escondido on 4/12)
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Irrigation and Water Use Efficiency – Learn about irrigation systems, programming controllers, why to choose drip over spray, and easy ways to conserve water.
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Drip Irrigation Essentials – 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.
San Diego Botanic Garden Monthly SAPLinGS Sessions – Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays in April, 10am to 12pm –– Children are invited to join for Science, Art, and Play in Garden Spaces (SAPLinGS) activities. Topics vary by month and will focus on a different plant or nature-based theme. Science activities engage kids with cool hands-on learning that stimulates curiosity. Art activities focus on projects that spark the imagination. Learn more.
WaterSmart Residential Landscape and Irrigation Events – The San Diego County Water Authority’s WaterSmart Program is providing past recordings of 3-Hour Landscape Workshops. View past workshops.
Green Oceanside – The following waste reduction events will be offered in April.
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April 2, 6pm – Fix-A-Leak Workshop – Learn the basics of finding leaks in your residence. Topics include reading your meter, using WaterSmart to manage your water use, and fixing common toilet leaks. Site location: Civic Center Library Community Rooms. Learn more.
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April 26, 9am to 12pm – Stay Classy Earth Day Community Event – Alamosa Park – Attend this family-friendly Earth Day Celebration. Activities include educational booths, activities for kids, music, games and more. Learn more.
Residential Waste Cleanup Events – Unincorporated Residents of San Diego – The following free waste collection events will be offered in April for residents of unincorporated San Diego County. Sponsored by the County of San Diego Department of Public Works.
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April 5, 8am to 12pm – Residential Cleanup Event – Spring Valley – Dispose of bulky items and recycle electronic waste, broken appliances, mattresses and box springs, and more. The event will also include free mulch for takeaway, paper shredding services, and will accept reusable items for donation. No household hazardous waste, tires, and construction materials allowed. Site location: Faith Chapel, 9400 Campo Rd, Spring Valley. Learn more.
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April 19, 9am to 2pm – Household Hazardous Waste and E-Waste Collection Event – Fallbrook –Properly dispose of household hazardous waste and electronic waste. Household hazardous waste including, but not limited to, batteries, cellphones, computers, and more. No business waste, tires, medication, large appliances, and more allowed. Site location: Fallbrook High School, 2400 S. Stage Coach Lane, Fallbrook. Learn more.
I Love A Clean San Diego (ILACSD) – The following waste reduction events will be provided in April.
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Miramar Landfill Bus Tours – City of San Diego – Get a behind-the-scenes peek on what really happens when you dispose of waste and clear up the myth of throwing something “away.” Open to City of San Diego residents only. Sponsored by the City of San Diego Environmental Services Department.
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April 5, 9am to 11am – Learn more or register.
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April 12, 9am to 11am – Learn more or register.
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April 8, 11am to 12pm – Spring Cleaning Webinar – This webinar will focus on zero waste practices for cleaning all areas of the home, sustainable product swaps for cleaning supplies, and where to donate used items locally. Learn more or register.
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April 12, 9am to 1pm – City of Carlsbad’s Earth Month Celebration – Do-It-Yourself Workshops –The theme of this event is Protect Our Planet One Bin at a Time. Attend for a day of family-friendly and sustainable activities. Two Do-It-Yourself Workshops will be offered where you can learn how to reduce your waste and upcycle your used items into something new. Workshop topics include Rescue Food & Restore the Earth (upcycling your old clothing using onion skins) and Protect Our Resources (create and use your own upcycled fabrics in place of single-use dryer sheets). Site location Pine Ave Community Park. Learn more.
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April 14, 5:30pm to 7:30pm – Happy Earth Hour – Learn from a panel of regional sustainability experts about reducing waste and caring for the environment. Event includes networking, Q&A session, booths and low-waste vendors. Site location: Chase Bank North Park. Learn more or register.
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April 19, 8am to 12pm – Compost Giveaway – City of San Diego – Attend this free compost giveaway event to pick up some nutrient-rich compost for your garden. Offered to City of San Diego residents only. Site location Lake Murray Park. Sponsored in partnership with the City of San Diego Environmental Services Department. Learn more or register.
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April 19, 11am to 3pm – City of La Mesa’s Earth Day Fair at MacArthur Park – Attend for a day of fun, education, and excitement at La Mesa’s free family-friendly Earth Day Fair. Vendors and exhibitors will provide eco-friendly resources, educational materials, kids’ activities, and more in celebration of Earth Day. There will also be a free clothing and accessories swap to help keep our fabrics out of the landfill. Clothing swap offered in partnership with ILACSD. Learn more about the Earth Day Event and clothing and accessories swap.
Zero Waste San Diego San Diego Fix-It Clinics – Learn how to reduce waste by fixing things instead of throwing items away. Bring broken or non-working items for assessment, disassembly, and possible repair. Workspace, specialty tools, and guidance to help you take apart and troubleshoot your item will be provided. Clinics hosted by Zero Waste San Diego with the help of many other zero waste partners.
The Living Coast Discovery Center – The following composting events will be offered in April.
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6 de abril, de 11:30am a 12:30pm – Taller de Compostaje Bilingüe / Bilingual Composting Workshop (Dual-language event in English and Spanish) – Aprenda los conceptos básicos sobre cómo comenzar su propia pila de compostaje y convertir los desechos de alimentos en tierra rica en nutrients. Asista a estos talleres in situ, gratis con la entrada. También se encuentran disponibles talleres de video pregrabados. Patrocinado por la Ciudad de Chula Vista. Obtenga más información o regístrese.
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April 13 and 20, 11:30am to 12:30pm – Sunday Compost Workshops – Learn the basics on how to start your own compost pile and turn food waste into nutrient-rich soil by attending these on-site workshops, free with admission. Pre-recorded Compost Workshop videos are also available. Sponsored by the City of Chula Vista. Learn more or sign up for the April 13th and 20th workshops.
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April 27, 11:30am to 12:30pm – Vermicomposting Workshop – Learn how to build and care for your own worm bin. Learn more or register.
City of Chula Vista South Bay Earth Day – April 12, 12pm to 4pm – Attend the annual South Bay Earth Day event where you’ll find a variety of sustainable vendors, food trucks, fun games for the kids, a fix-it clinic, and live entertainment. Site location: Bayfront Park. Sponsored by Port of San Diego Experiences and San Diego Community Power. Learn more.
Solana Center for Environmental Innovation Waste Reduction Events – The following residential and business events will be offered in April.
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April 16 – Free E-Business Waste Pickup – A free monthly e-waste pick-up service is being offered to businesses in San Diego County. Register by Friday, April 11th for the Wednesday, April 16th 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 23, 6:30pm to 8:30pm – All About Worms Workshop – Encinitas ($40 fee) – Learn about the benefits of vermicomposting (composting with worms) and turning food waste into nutrient-rich castings for your garden. Topics include appropriate tools and materials, steps to start a vermicompost bin, how to feed your worms and which foods are suitable, and more. Hosted by San Diego Botanic Garden. Learn more or register.
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April 30, 6pm to 7pm – Food Hacks that Prevent Waste Webinar – Learn practical and successful methods to reduce food waste by making small changes to your daily life and habits. Topics include tips for buying only what you need, eating what you buy, and avoiding throwing away food. Learn about the social, environmental, and economic impacts of food waste including where and how food is being wasted in the U.S. and around the world. Sponsored by the City of San Diego Environmental Services. Learn more or register.
SD Environmental Services One-Day Collection Event – City of San Diego – April 26, 9am to 1pm – A household hazardous waste (HHW) collection event will be held at Balboa Park, Inspiration Parking Lot (corner of Park Blvd. & President’s Way). Learn more.
South Bay Sustainable Communities Network – Monthly Compost Pile Turnings – Various days, timeslots, and cities – Join South Bay Sustainable Communities Network for monthly turnings of their soil saver compost bins at select compost hub locations throughout South San Diego County. Compost hubs are also available to community members to drop off food scraps. Scroll to the bottom of home page to check calendar for hub locations and dates.
Center for Watershed Protection – 2025 National Watershed and Stormwater Conference, San Juan, Puerto Rico – April 8 through 10 ($$ fees vary) – This national conference provides a forum for watershed and stormwater professionals to learn how to increase the resiliency of our communities in response to emerging and persistent threats to our water resources — from headwaters to coasts. It provides opportunities to network with water resource managers, practitioners, researchers, and regulators from all over the United States and territories. This conference also includes technical presentations, case studies, panel discussions, and workshops. Learn more or register.
Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation – The following events will be offered in April.
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April 12, 10am – Speaker Series – The Lagoon Restoration Project of 1994-97 – Learn about the most important project in the lagoon’s recent history and its far-reaching effects up to its current status and phenomenal success. Learn more.
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April 19, 10am to 11:30am – Docent-Led Lagoon Walks – Spring at the Lagoon – Take an easy to moderate nature walk to learn about the plant life of Batiquitos Lagoon. Thanks to some late-season rain, there may be some wildflowers among the other native and invasive plants to see and discuss. This will be an easy 90-minute walk along the north trail. Learn more.
Buena Vista Audubon – The following events will be offered in April.
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April 13, 11am to 12:30pm – Kids’ Nature Clubhouse and Trail Exploration –– School-aged children and their families are invited to complete a nature-inspired craft and explore the lagoon trail with a different focus each month. The 1/2 hour trail adventure starts from the Nature Center at 11:00am. Learn more.
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April 28, 10am to 11am – Preschool Nature Storytime – Join the Nature Center for nature-themed stories for preschool children, aged 2 ½ to 5 years. There will be a story, songs, fun craft, and special theme each month. Learn more.
Emerald Keepers 3rd Annual EcoCamp for Kids – Coronado – Kids can join Emerald Keepers High School interns for a fun-filled morning at Coronado High School's community garden to learn about the importance of protecting our environment. Campers will enjoy exciting outdoor activities, arts and crafts, and interactive lessons on sustainability. They will also learn about native seeds and pollinators, paint flowerpots, and plant their very own plant.
Spring Valley Day 2025 – April 26, 10am to 3pm – Join in celebrating the Spring Valley Community! This event will feature a car show, art & craft fair, live entertainment, civic groups & organizations, local vendors, and much more! Site location Bancroft Drive & Tyler Street. Learn more.
Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation – Preschool Playdates Outdoor Program – Daily program Monday through Friday, 7:30am to 5:30pm ($$ fees vary) – All children ages 3 to 5 are invited to join the daily program for nature-themed lessons and activities. Each day will include environmental education and literacy, a craft made from recycled materials, outdoor play, and more. You can register for individual days or the entire week. Early release options are available at 1pm, 3pm, and 4pm. Topics vary by month with the April topic being Planet Protectors. Learn more or register.
Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve (TRNERR) – Junior Rangers Program Ongoing Kids’ Educational Event – Saturdays 11am to 12pm – Kids aged 8 through 12 are invited to take part in discovering the rich natural and cultural heritage preserved in parks. They will participate in hands-on activities and can earn awards such as pins, certificates, and patches as they progress through the program! Learn more by clicking on the April 5th, 12th, 19th or 26th dates.
The Living Coast Discovery Center – Sweetwater Safari Hike Series – Saturdays, 11:30am to 12pm – Join the Center every Saturday to explore the Sweetwater Marsh Trail on the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Here you will learn about the history of the Marsh, salt marsh ecosystem, and plants, and wildlife thriving in this protected space. Learn more or sign up for the April 12th, 19th, and 26th hikes.
El Living Coast Discovery Center – Caminata Safari de Sweetwater Bilingüe – Los sábados de 11:30am a 12:30pm – ¡Acompáñenos todos los sábados a explorar el sendero de la marisma de Sweetwater en el refugio silvestre nacional de la bahía de San Diego! Aprenderemos sobre la historia de la marisma de Sweetwater, el ecosistema de la marisma salada, y las plantas y vida silvestre que prospera en este espacio protegido. Mochilas con actividades divertidas, incluyendo lupas y binoculares, serán disponibles para que las familias participantes lo usen mientras estén en la caminata. Obtenga más información o regístrese.
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