Watershed Protection Program

Collage of different image pertaining to Clean Water

What's New?

Loma Alta Slough Wetlands Enhancement Project 

Garrison Creek Native Habitat Restoration Project 

Garrison Creek Native Habitat Restoration Project 

The City of Oceanside is undertaking a habitat restoration project on a portion of Garrison Creek in the Loma Alta watershed. The project includes 28 acres of invasive vegetation removal and native planting to improve native biodiversity and habitat for the federal-and-state-endangered southwestern willow flycatcher and least bell’s vireo. 

The City is working with Nature Collective, a regional environmental nonprofit organization, to implement the project. Nature Collective’s role includes restoration design, invasive removal and long-term monitoring of the project site. The Friends of El Corazon (FELC) is a local citizens group that will mobilize volunteers to assist the Nature Collective with invasive vegetation removal and restoration planting.

For more information about upcoming restoration events and participation, please visit Nature Collective’s website Garrison Creek Volunteer Opportunities. 

 

Garrison Creek Native Habitat Restoration Project Flyer

Watershed Protection Program Overview 

The goal of the Oceanside Watershed Protection Program is to improve water quality in our local creeks, rivers, and the ocean, and comply with state and regional environmental regulations. This multi-faceted program is designed to achieve this goal by educating the community about pollution prevention practices. Targeted audiences for this program include industrial and commercial businesses, developers, municipal staff, residents, students, and teachers.

The Watershed Protection Program oversees the following tasks:

  • Water Quality Monitoring
  • Inspections of construction sites and industrial and commercial businesses
  • Education outreach to businesses, developers, residents, children, teachers, and municipal staff
     

Stormwater Pollution

As a coastal community, Oceanside relies on clean water for its residents, healthy beaches, public safety, and a desirable environment for wildlife. When it rains, many of the pollutants that lurk on sidewalks, streets, parking lots, and yards wash down the storm drains, and into the nearest body of water. Unfortunately, storm drains do not filter water or debris and are not connected to the sewer system. So, any pollutant that flows into the storm drain system eventually ends up in our rivers, creeks and ocean.

Watershed Protection Program and Code Enforcement Staff actively investigate reports of landscape irrigation runoff, illegal dumping and other storm drain pollution concerns. Residents and business are encouraged to report any incidents of stormwater pollution at once to help protect water quality and public health in Oceanside.

To report an Illicit Discharge, Illegal Dumping, irrigation runoff or any other stormwater related concern, call Customer Care, our urban runoff hotline, at (760) 435-4500 customercare@oceansideca.org. After hours, holidays and on weekends, these calls are answered through the Oceanside Police Department.
 
Alternatively, the County of San Diego Department of Environmental Health responds to complaints at (888) 846-0800. This hotline is answered Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and provides a voice mail message for 24-hour public access in both English and Spanish.

Oceanside residents, businesses, and developers can work together to change a few habits that will benefit our health, our families, and our community. Remember, you are the solution to storm water pollution.

Loma Alta Slough Wetlands Enhancement Project

The City of Oceanside is developing a wetland enhancement design for the Loma Alta Slough located between Coast Highway and Pacific Street. The purpose of the project is to expand coastal wetland habitat and improve public access through trails and educational signage. 

The second of three public workshops was held on January 16, 2020 at the City of Oceanside Library. Members of the community and local nonprofit groups worked together to identify a preferred wetland restoration design and site plan. The City is analyzing the workshop outcomes along with input from wetland scientists and resource agencies to generate a Feasibility Study of the preferred design. Engineering work and environmental documentation (CEQA) will begin following completion of the Feasibility Study in Spring 2020.

The City welcomes continuing feedback on this integrative habitat enhancement project. If you have ongoing input for this project, please submit an interactive Comment Card. For additional information, please contact the Project Manager, Justin Gamble at (760)-435-5093 or jgamble@oceansideca.org

Loma Alta Wetlands Comment Card

Project Overview Poster

Related Projects Poster

January 16 Public Workshop Presentation – Design Alternatives

Report any water running in the street when it is not raining or someone dumping something in the storm drain or curb and gutter by calling the
Urban Runoff Hotline at (760) 435-4500.

For all other stormwater related concerns, please contact us at WatershedProtection@oceansideca.org