hen we think of water, almost always we think of motion. Water may repose in quiet ponds or sparkle coolly in a tall glass, but mostly water seems to be going somewhere -- its untiring motion affects our environment, health and quality of life.

Within the Santa Clara Valley, rainwater flows through storm drains, local creeks and rivers, and ultimately enters untreated into the San Francisco Bay. As rain water flows to the Bay, it brings man-made pollutants encountered in the watershed, leading to urban runoff pollution.

The Watershed Watch Campaign is a public education initiative of the Santa Clara Valley Urban Runoff Pollution Prevention Program (SCVURPPP), an association of thirteen cities and towns in the Santa Clara Valley, Santa Clara County and the Santa Clara Valley Water District. The Campaign is dedicated to raising awareness of how important it is to all livings things that we protect the watershed.

Within this site, you will discover information on how you can help -- practical things you can do individually and important ways you can practice environmental stewardship.









Is your Gardener a Green Gardener?

Watch this space for a list of trained Green Gardeners in the Santa Clara Valley.

For more information on what to look for in a Green Gardener
CLICK HERE.





2008 Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour
Sunday, May 4, 2008

Registration is now open at www.bringingbackthenatives.net

This free, award winning tour features 60 pesticide-free gardens that conserve water, provide habitat for wildlife, and contain 50% or more native plants.

In addition to the free tour on May 4th, this year's Select Tours -
private, guided tours of signature native plant gardents - offering something for everyone.
Accompanying the popular "Meet the Designer" series, there is a
"Gourmet Bicycle Tour" to Walnut Creek and Lafayette Gardens.
Eight different Select Tours are offered on
April 12, 13, 26, 27 and May 3, 18 and 25, 2008.

Click here for more information.
Register early, as the Select Tours are expected to fill quickly.

The Native Plant Sale Extravaganza will take place
throughout the weekend of May 3 & 4th.



www.bringingbackthenatives.net


Watch Out for Water Pollution!
Capitol Premier Car Wash is helping you watch out for water pollution.

Wednesday, May 14
from 5 - 7pm ONLY
735 Capitol Expressway Auto Mall in San Jose

Join the Watershed Watch and KUFX 98.5 FM at
Capitol Premier Car Wash
for discounted car washes and special promotions.

Click here for a 50% Off All Car Wash Services Coupon
(Offer excludes Gasoline Purchases and Detail Services)



Watching for Wildlife
Teacher Training Workshop for K-12 Educators in Santa Clara County

Thursday, June 26, 2008
10am - 12:30pm
Coyote Hellyer Regional Park, San Jose

Activate student learning with hands-on, nature-based activities!

Activate student learning with hands-on, nature-based activities! Introduce your students to creek habitats in the South Bay with our interdisciplinary curriculum. We'll help you identify wildlife tracks and other animal clues, explore the riparian web of life, and study basic behavior of riparian birds, invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles and mammals. Try out activities that you can use with your students to help protect Santa Clara's wildlife corridors and the many species that depend on them. Course Includes FREE course reader with interdisciplinary activities correlated to California state content standards (Activities support standards in science, math and language arts, with a special emphasis on life sciences, investigation, experimentation, and ecology.)

Suitable for K-12. Cost: $29.

To register or for more information, CLICK HERE
or call 510.665.3430
or visit www.theWatershedProject.org



www.theWatershedProject.org

  
Free Weekend Programs!
Where San Jose meets the bay!

The Environmental Education Center (EEC) in Alviso offers weekend activities
throughout the year.

All activities are FREE!

Click here for a current event schedule.
 

Don Edwards
San Francisco Bay
National Wildlife Refuge


Recycle your cell phones at
Happy Hollow Park & Zoo
and help save the Orangutans!

You'll protect our watershed from the toxic waste of discarded phones / pagers, and help preserve one of the most critically-endangered species on earth, the Orangutan, and its habitat.

Click HERE for more information.
 

 

www.hhpz.org
 

 
 Keep your family and water 
safe from mercury.

Fluorescent lights save energy, but contain mercury which is a toxic pollutant.  When it's time to replace the bulbs, dispose of the used fluorescents properly to prevent polluted runoff into our creeks and Bay.

Click HERE for more information.
 




Watch Out for Toxic Pesticides! 

Control unwanted pests and care for your lawn and garden without dangerous chemicals.  It's healthier for you, and will prevent polluted runoff from entering our creeks and Bay.

Click HERE for more information and suggestions.





Stay tuned for upcoming discounts
and offers on various goods and services with the
Watershed Watch Discount Card. 

Watch for coupons posted to this web site from Watershed Watch campaign partners.

Click Here for more information.
 


 

  

  • The Wacky Watersheds Workshop is the perfect workshop to help middle school educators answer these questions and involve students in watershed protection through hands-on learning! 

  • The Watershed Project offers comprehensive full-day and multi-day workshops are for all classroom teachers and youth group leaders, camp counselors, and other educators. For information about workshops, visit their website at www.thewatershedproject.org.
    Click HERE for more information.

  • If your business needs to recycle fluorescent lamps or other materials that contain mercury, click HERE.

  • If you are interested in volunteer opportunities that help protect our watershed, click HERE (Acrobat Reader required).

  • How Should You Dispose of Household Hazardous Waste? 
    Click HERE to find out.

Watch for print ads and listen for radio commercials 
with our Media Partners:

 
 
SCVURPPP is an association of the thirteen cities and towns (Campbell, Cupertino, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Milpitas, Monte Sereno, Mountain View, Palo Alto, San Jose, Santa Clara, Saratoga, Sunnyvale) in the Santa Clara Valley, together with Santa Clara County and the Santa Clara Valley Water District. Program participants share a common permit to discharge storm water to South San Francisco Bay.