Stormwater Pollution Prevention Events
December 2025
We all play a part in preventing stormwater pollution. Here are some ways to get involved in December 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, 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, Friends of Famosa Slough, Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation, California State Parks Foundation, City of San Diego, City of Carlsbad, ASCENDtials, San Diego Bird Alliance, Escondido Creek Conservancy, Nature Collective, Friends of Sunset Cliffs, Casa de Oro Alliance, Tree San Diego and Keep America Beautiful.
Now through July 4, 2026 – Keep America Beautiful Great American Cleanup – Learn more or pledge.
December 2
December 4
December 5
December 6
December 7
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10:15am to 11:30am – ASCENDtials Climate Cares Black's Beach Cleanup Event. Learn more here. To register, click on the ‘check availability’ button and select the 12/7 date.
December 9
December 10
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8:30am to 11:30am – City of Carlsbad Trail Cleanup – Peninsula Trail. Learn more.
December 11
December 12
December 13
December 14
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10:15am to 11:30am – ASCENDtials Climate Cares Silver Strand Beach Cleanup Event. Learn more here. To register, click on the ‘check availability’ button and select the 12/14 date.
December 16
December 17
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8am to 12pm – The San Diego River Park Foundation Preserve Stewards at Eagle Peak Ranch Habitat Restoration. Learn more or sign up.
December 18
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8am to 10am – The San Diego River Park Foundation Grant Park Community Stewards. Learn more or sign up.
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8:30am to 12:30pm – San Diego River Park Foundation Water Quality Monitoring: West County. Learn more or sign up.
December 19
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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 11am – Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation Trail Cleanup Event – Garfield Street Trailhead/Hubbs Trail. 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.
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9am to 12pm – San Diego Bird Alliance and Friends of Rose Creek – Rose Creek Habitat Restoration. Learn more or RSVP.
December 20
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9am to 11am – Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation Algerian Sea Lavender Removal. Learn more or sign up.
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9am to 11am – The San Diego River Park Foundation – Mission Valley Gardening Club – Grant Park Eco-Park. Learn more or sign up.
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9am to 12pm – Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation Trail Cleanup Event – Garfield Street Trailhead/Hubbs Trail. Learn more or sign up.
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10am to 12pm – Surfrider Foundation Imperial Beach Cleanup. Learn more or register.
December 21
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12:15pm to 1:30pm – ASCENDtials Climate Cares Highway Cleanup at 5/Mission Bay Beach Club. Learn more here. To register, click on the ‘check availability’ button and select the 12/21 date.
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12:15pm to 2:00pm – ASCENDtials Climate Cares Highway Cleanup Event – Coronado Route 75. Learn more here. To register, click on the ‘check availability’ button and select the 12/21 date.
December 26
December 27
December 28
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12:15pm to 1:30pm – ASCENDtials Climate Cares Highway Cleanup - Highway 94. Learn more here. To register, click on the ‘check availability’ button and select the 12/28 date.
December 30
Monthly/Ongoing or On Your Own Stormwater Pollution Prevention Events:
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Tuesdays and Fridays, 8am to 11am – 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 the 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.
University of California Cooperative Extension’s (UCCE) Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program – The following events will be offered in December.
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December 2, 1pm to 4pm (ENGLISH) and 9am to 12pm (SPANISH) – Pesticide Safety Zoom Workshop, Train-the-Trainer Refresher (fee $100) – This workshop provides a review of the required annual training topics for fieldworkers and handlers. Learn more or register.
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December 13, 10am to 11:30am – Healthy Garden-Healthy Home Hybrid Community Workshop –How to Grow a Salsa Garden: Garden Vegetables Pests and Diseases – Learn about proper planting for a healthier garden. Also, learn tips for controlling common pests and diseases of your backyard salsa garden. Learn more or register.
UCANR Master Gardeners of San Diego – Ask-a-Master Gardener – December 3, 12pm to 1pm – Bring your gardening questions, and UC certified Master Gardeners will bring their expertise. Site location: County Operations Center Demonstration Garden (5500 Overland Drive) near the cafeteria every 1st Wednesday of the month. Learn more.
California Native Plant Society (CNPS) – Naturehood Monthly Gardening Webinar: Habitat Throughout the Season – December 4, 5:30pm to 6:30pm – Attend for a behind-the-scenes look at the seasonal rhythms of two native plant gardens, a large established Southern California yard, and a recent small Central Coast garden. This talk offers real-world guidance and inspiration for supporting native plants, and the wildlife that depends on them, through every season. Learn more or register.
Catching H2O – The following events will be offered in December.
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December 6, 8:30am to 12:30pm – Hands-On Laundry to Landscape Greywater Installation Workshop ($75 fee - Certificate Course Eligible) - La Mesa. Learn how to design and install your laundry greywater system from start to finish! Topics include greywater code, water budget, do’s and don’ts, parts, tools, what kinds of soaps to use, and other considerations. Learn more or sign up.
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December 6, 1:30 to 4:30pm – Hands-On Rain Garden Workshop ($65 fee - Certificate Course Eligible) - La Mesa. Learn how to design and install a rain garden which will double as a laundry greywater basin to ensure a vibrant garden year round! Topics include calculating water budget, plumbing rainwater lines, sizing earthworks for peak flows, and plant pallet and installation design. Learn more or sign up.
San Diego Botanic Garden – The following events will be offered in December.
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December 6, 9:30am to 11:30am – Santa’s Candy Cane Conservatory ($$ fees vary) – Santa and Mrs. Claus are making a special appearance inside the Dickinson Family Education Conservatory. Surrounded by greenery and festive décor, families can enjoy a cozy and magical moment together. Also, capture a keepsake photo with both Santa and Mrs. Claus. Learn more or get tickets.
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December 6, 1pm to 2pm (All ages) or 2:30pm to 3:30 pm (Adults-only) – How to Draw Festive Flora ($$ fees vary) – The Garden is honored to welcome back Emmy Award-winning, Academy Award-nominated, high-energy cartoonist Mark Kistler for another how-to-draw workshop! Celebrate the season as Mark guides you through lively, step-by-step drawing exercises featuring festive plants. You will leave with your own botanic drawings to keep or give as a heartfelt holiday card! Learn more or get tickets.
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Monthly SAPLinGS Sessions – Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays in December, 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.
The Water Conservation Garden – The following events will be offered in December. Sponsored by Otay and Helix Water Districts, Sweetwater Authority, and Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District.
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December 12, 9am to 4pm – Free-Day Fridays – Attendees will receive free admission on the second Friday of every month. Activities include mini-tours, arts & crafts, community partner booths, scavenger hunts and prizes, and more. Learn more.
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December 27, 9am to 4pm – Monthly Water District Wave-In Day – On the last Saturday of every month, free admission to the Garden is offered to customers of supporting water districts for a day of learning about sustainable living and water-wise gardening. Enjoy workshops, community partner booths, and water-wise exhibits that help you improve your individual impact on the planet. Learn more or register.
Alta Vista Botanical Garden – Kids in the Garden Classes – December 13, 10am to 12pm ($5 fee, includes entry to the Garden) – Kids and their families are invited to attend Saturday classes featuring hands-on activities, conservation lessons, and tours of the gardens. Topics vary by month with December’s theme being Recycled Art. Learn more or pre-register with Farmer Jones at farmerjonesavbg@gmail.com.
Landscape and Water-Savings Webinars – A series of landscape and water-savings webinars will be offered in December hosted by Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Dates and times vary. All events will be virtual and free unless otherwise noted. See calendar and learn more or register.
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California Friendly & Native Plant Landscape Training – Learn how to design a yard using the four principles of gorgeous and watershed-wise landscaping. Topics include building healthy soil, capturing rainwater, selecting climate-appropriate and native plants, and use of high-efficiency irrigation.
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Garden Design Workshop – Learn how to identify critical steps for successfully designing a watershed-wise landscape. Topics include creating a successful planting plan, developing a palette of climate-appropriate plants, and sizing and siting the rainwater capture area.
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Transforming Lawns: A Sustainable Approach – Learn how to transform your yard into a beautiful, sustainable, and water-efficient landscape. Topics include selecting climate-appropriate plant palettes, planning a new landscape that thrives with less water, and exploring sustainable landscape techniques, functions, turf removal options and rebates.
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Rain to Roots: Water for Your Garden – Learn how to use best management practices for capturing rainwater in the landscape using both passive and active methods. Topics include choosing the right rainwater capture method for your landscape, siting and sizing rain gardens for optimal performance, maintenance tips and troubleshooting common issues, and managing overflow to prevent erosion and flooding.
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Irrigation & Controller Basics: Smart Watering – Learn how to optimize water use, improve plant health, and reduce runoff by understanding the relationship between soil, water, and system performance. Topics include an overview and basics of irrigation systems, typical irrigation problems and troubleshooting, weather-based controllers, programming essentials, and more.
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Drip Irrigation: Maintenance & Troubleshooting – Learn how to keep your landscape thriving by making your drip irrigation system more efficient and reliable. Topics include understanding soil moisture balance, identifying key drip system components, reviewing common problems with drip systems and how to avoid them, and developing a successful maintenance routine.
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.
University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources – The following events will be offered in December.
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December 2, 7pm to 8pm or December 3, 1pm to 2pm – Make & Preserve Holiday Food Gifts Webinar: Chutney, Marmalade & More – Celebrate the season by creating thoughtful and homemade gifts that showcase the best of California’s winter produce. Gifts include chutney, marmalade, spiced nuts & citrus wheels. Prepare safe, homemade holiday gifts using USDA-approved preservation methods. Made possible by the UC Master Food Preserver (MFP) Program. Learn more or register for the December 2nd, or 3rd.
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December 21, 4pm to 5pm – Ask a UC Master Food Preserver Live Q&A Webinar – A panel of volunteers specializing in freezing, dehydrating, canning, and food safety will be available to answer your questions. They will also share their tips so you can safely and successfully preserve food at home. Learn more or register.
I Love a Clean San Diego – The following waste-reduction events will be offered in December.
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December 6, 10am to 1pm – City of La Mesa Clothing and Toy Swap – Bring your gently-used clothes, accessories, shoes, and toys for a free item swap event to learn how to reduce textile waste, gather as a community, and get some secondhand gifts for the holiday season! Offered in partnership with the City of La Mesa and the La Mesa Library. Learn more.
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December 3, 10am to 11am – Celebrate Without the Waste: Sustainable Holidays Webinar – Learn how to find creative yet accessible low waste options when navigating gift giving, holiday décor, and cooking for large groups. Topics include low and no-waste gift ideas, easy upcycled DIY decoration ideas, tutorials on alternative gift-wrapping methods, and ways to reduce the amount of food waste from holiday meals. Offered in partnership with the County of San Diego. Learn more or register.
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December 13, 8am to 12pm – Compost Giveaway at Sun Runner Lot – Attend this free compost pick-up event for City of San Diego residents only. Sponsored by the City of San Diego Environmental Services Department. Learn more or register.
Living Coast Discovery Center – The following composting events will be offered in December.
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7 de diciembre, 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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December 14 and 21, 11:30am to 12:30pm – Sunday Compost Workshops – Learn the basics on how to start your own compost pile by attending these on-site workshops. Pre-recorded Compost Workshop videos are also available. Sponsored by the City of Chula Vista. Learn more or sign up for the December 14th and 21st.
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December 28, 11:30am to 12:30pm – Vermicomposting Workshop – Learn how vermicomposting can convert waste into fertilizer for your garden, including how to build and care for your own worm bin and worms. Learn more or register.
San Diego Fixit Clinics – Learn how to reduce waste by fixing things instead of throwing items away at the following Fixit Clinics in December. 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 SD Fixit Clinic with the help of many other zero waste partners.
South Bay Sustainable Communities Network – The following events will be offered in December.
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December 7, 12:30pm to 3:00pm – Community Workshops: Worm Compost 101 – Attend this workshop to set up your very own worm bin while learning how to take care of your worms, benefits of having a worm bin, and how to make worm tea. Learn more and sign up.
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Various days, timeslots, and cities – Monthly Compost Pile Turnings – Attend these monthly turnings of South Bay Sustainable Communities Network 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.
December 2025 through January 2026 (dates vary depending on city) – Countywide Christmas Tree Recycling – Help divert your Christmas tree from the landfill following your holiday festivities! Many communities in San Diego County have options for Christmas tree recycling at your curbside collection or at various drop-off locations. Options will include both incorporated and unincorporated areas of the County. Locations will be available in mid-December at WasteFreeSD.org.
Escondido Creek Conservancy Welcome to the Watershed Series! – December 6, 9am to 12pm – Enjoy nature and learn about the work the Conservancy is doing to protect special places throughout the Escondido Creek Watershed. This free monthly activity could include a gentle nature or flower walk, hiking, biking, or nature photography. Learn more or register through the ‘details’ tab.
Nature Collective San Elijo Lagoon Discovery Tour – December 6, 10am to 11:30am – Get a guided tour of the salt marsh, mudflats, and native plants of the San Elijo Lagoon. Learn more or reserve your spot.
The San Diego River Park Foundation – The following events will be offered in December.
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December 6, 11am to 1pm – Rollin' with the River! A Rolling Tour of the San Diego River - Holiday Edition – Grant Park – Attend for a fun holiday-themed rolling (wheeled) tour of the beautiful San Diego River to learn about flora, fauna, and how to become an advocate for your community. This is a wheeled-tour for cyclists, skateboarders, and scooters. Learn more or sign up.
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December 6, 11am to 2pm – Friends and Neighbors Holiday River Celebration & Art Market – Grant Park – Attend for a festive nature-themed holiday celebration at Grant Park and to check out the new nature education center and eco-park. Festivities include holiday music and treats, fun educational events, solar-cooked foot bites and solar cooking demonstration (weather permitting), mistletoe wreath making ($25 suggested donation), and more. Learn more or sign up.
Surfrider Foundation – San O (San Onofre) Community Assembly – Shoreline Resilience Project, December 6, 4:30pm to 6:30pm – This event launches a year-long, community-centered planning effort to explore nature-based ways to protect Surf Beach while preserving access, culture, and the character that makes San Onofre so special. You’ll hear about the project, meet the team of engineers, learn from successes in other communities, and take part in interactive activities designed to capture your stories, concerns, and thoughts. Learn more or sign up.
San Diego Coastkeeper Watershed Watch - Mission Bay Water Quality Monitoring Program – Be part of a team of passionate individuals interested in protecting our waterways. Join San Diego Coastkeeper’s Mission Bay Water Quality Monitoring Program and participate in monthly field days to collect water samples at ten sites in Mission Bay. The following events will be offered in December.
Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation Winter Discovery Camps: Science and Sealife – December 22, 23, 24, 29, 30, 31 and January 2 (hours and $$ fees vary) – Kids aged kindergarten through 5th grade are invited to participate in 7 days of topics centering around nature through hands-on activities, recycled crafts, nature hikes, and animal interactions. Each week has a different theme and different activities. Sign up for one day or all days. Registration opens November 24th. Learn more or register.
Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve – Junior Rangers Program Ongoing Kids’ Educational Event – Saturdays 11am to 12pm – Kids ages 8 through 12 are invited to take part in discovering the rich 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 December 6th, 13th, and 20th and 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, plants, and wildlife thriving in this protected space. Learn more or sign up for the December 6th (bilingual), 13th, 20th, and 27th 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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