Chollas Creek

Environmental Awareness & Education

Both the Chollas Creek Restoration Project and the San Diego Region Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Education and Outreach Project (Chollas IPM) grants provide for education and outreach activities in the Chollas Creek watershed. The Environmental Awareness and Education efforts will work in conjunction with both the Regional Integrated Pest Management campaign and Think Blue, the City’s Storm Water Pollution Prevention Education Program.

The Chollas Creek Restoration Project grant calls for the development of an education and outreach program to businesses in the area with the goal of increasing awareness of their business practices and the impacts to water quality in Chollas Creek. This grant will also work with the community to conduct two creek clean-ups.

The Chollas IPM grant provides for development of a focused integrated pest management outreach and education effort to residents in the Chollas Creek watershed. Diazinon is a pesticide that has been found in high, toxic concentrations in the Creek. Our goal is to provide residents and those who hire pest applicators with in the watershed with pesticide alternatives and information to make healthier choices when eliminating pests such as ants, white fly, roaches, snails, etc.

To help find success with the education and outreach elements of both grants, we are recruiting residents in the community to participate in focus group workshops. Participants will help identify the keys to successfully bringing change and awareness to the community, comment on the message style, materials used and other methods how to get the word out to the community. In addition we are looking to identify potential business areas to participate in adopting pollution prevention practices. Participating businesses will receive a Storm Water Best Management Practices Assessment and materials to help improve compliance with storm water laws.

NOTE: Funding for this project has been provided in full or in part through an Agreement with the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) pursuant to the Costa-Machado Water Act of 2000 (Proposition 13) and any amendments thereto for the implementation of California's Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Program. The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the SWRCB, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.