Get Involved
Caltrans Stormwater Cleanup Roadshow
Discover the Caltrans Stormwater Cleanup Roadshow! Stormwater pollution affects all of California, whether it’s our highways, waterways, or wildlife. In this guide, you will find the six key pollutants of concern, what causes them, and what parts of the state they impact.
Want to make a difference? The Cleanup Roadshow also includes volunteer opportunities from our statewide partners from March 2024 through May 2024. No matter where you are in California, there is a way for you to get involved. Together, we can all do the right thing to keep our highways and waterways clean.
Stormwater Links
Stormwater Program Partner Cleanup Events
- June 29: Upper Merced River Watershed Council's River Canyon Roadside Clean-up, Merced River Recreation Area, Briceburg Visitor Center Parking, 10am-noon
- July 4: Orange County Coastkeeper's Ali's Friday Arcade Creek Cleanup @ American River College, Winding Way Bridge near the ARC Stadium, Sacramento, CA from 9:30am - 11:30am
- July 5: Orange County Coastkeeper's Calafia Beach Cleanup, San Clemente State Park, 250 Avenida Califia, San Clemente, CA from 9am - 11am
- July 5: Refuse Refuse SF's Lake Merced Cleanup, Parking Lot at Sunset Blvd & Lake Merced Blvd, San Francisco from 9am - 11am
- July 5: ECOSLO's Post 4th of July Cleanup- Pirates Cove/Cave Landing, Parking Lot at Sunset Blvd & Lake Merced Blvd, San Francisco from 9am - 11am
- July 5: The Redwood Parks Conservancy's Annual July 5 Beach Clean-Up, meet at end of Cave Landing Road, Avila Beach, CA 9am - 11am
- July 5: Surfrider San Diego's Morning After Mess Cleanup, Fiesta Island, CA 9am - noon
- July 6: Keep Coyote Creek Beautiful's From Stream to Shore: Let's Clean More!, location TBD, San Jose, CA from 9am - noon
- July 11: American River Parkway Foundation's Mile Stewards Mile 16 Clean-Up, Hagan Community Park, Rancho Cordova, CA from 8:50am - 11:30am
- July 12: Orange County Coastkeeper's Huntington State Beach Cleanup, Huntington State Beach Tower 9, 21601 Pacific Coast Hwy, Huntington Beach, CA from 9am - 11am
- July 12: Pitch In Santa Cruz's https://www.pitchinsantacruz.org/GetInvolved/CleanupsCalendar.aspx, meet on east riverbank between the Laurel Street bridge and the Branciforte Creek, Santa Cruz, CA from 10am - noon
- July 19: The Kings River Conservation District's Third Saturday Kings River Clean Up, Fresno, CA, starting at 8am
- July 19: Inland Empire Waterkeeper's River Cleanup at Martha McLean-Anza Narrows Park, 5759 Jurupa Ave. Riverside, CA from 9am - 10:30am
- July 19: Keep Coyote Creek Beautiful's Buzz & Beautify Bee the Change Cleanup, location TBD, San Jose, CA from 9am - noon
- July 19: Save Our Shores' Beach Cleanup at Del Monte Beach, beach next to Municipal Wharf 2, at 285 Figueroa St, Monterey, CA from 9am - 10:30am
- Ongoing: American River Parkway Foundation cleanups, Sacramento
- Ongoing: Inland Empire Waterkeeper cleanups
- Ongoing:KeepCoyoteCreekBeautiful.org, San Jose
- Ongoing: Orange County Coastkeeper cleanups
- Ongoing: Refuse Refuse San Francisco cleanups
- Ongoing: River City Water Way Alliance cleanups, Sacramento
Past Clean Up Events
Global Recycling Day - Refuse Refuse San Francisco on March 16, 2024
On Saturday, March 16, 2024, the Stormwater Program joined forces with Refuse Refuse San Francisco for a Global Recycling Day litter pickup event held at Ocean Beach in San Francisco, CA. The event centered around the theme "Put Trash in Its Place," with a special focus on separating collected recyclables for their proper disposal.
The event attracted over 30 volunteers from the community. In total, an impressive haul of 26 bags of litter was collected. Additionally, volunteers filled a 20-gallon Bottle Bank bag with diverted recycled bottles and cans, underscoring the event's success in contributing to cleaner shores and heightened awareness of stormwater pollution prevention in the Bay Area.
World Wildlife Day - San Diego Coastkeeper on March 9, 2024
The Stormwater Program and San Diego Coastkeeper organized a World Wildlife Day litter cleanup on March 9, 2024 at Otay Valley Regional Park. The event aimed to raise awareness about preventing stormwater pollution and promoted environmental stewardship for California's wildlife. 72 volunteers helped remove 618 pounds of trash and invasive plants from the riverbed, safeguarding local waterways and wildlife habitats.
Caltrans Stormwater Program & Orange County Coastkeeper November 4, 2023
The Caltrans Stormwater Program partnered with the Orange County Coastkeeper for a clean-up event in Los Angeles, CA at Calafia State Beach. The cleanup engaged 68 volunteers, resulting in the collection of 78.5 pounds of trash!
Caltrans Stormwater Program & American River Parkway Foundation November 4, 2023
The cleanup hosted by American River Parkway Foundation, sponsored by the Caltrans Stormwater Program, collected 300 pounds of trash thanks to the volunteers who came out to help. At the event, staff distributed Let’s Change This to That pollutants of concern guides, tire pressure gauges, and pet waste bag dispensers
Caltrans Stormwater Program & Orange County Coastkeeper November 4, 2023
The Caltrans Stormwater Program partnered with the Orange County Coastkeeper for a clean-up event in Los Angeles, CA at Calafia State Beach. The cleanup engaged 68 volunteers, resulting in the collection of 78.5 pounds of trash!
Pawsome PUPkin Party at the Sacramento SPCA with the Sacramento River Cats October 29, 2023
The Caltrans Stormwater Program partnered with the Sacramento River to staff a booth at The Sacramento SPCA second annual Pawsome Pupkin Party. The team successfully engaged with 30 individuals, emphasizing the importance of picking up pet waste and ensuring proper disposal to keep our waterways pollutant-free.
Caltrans Stormwater Program & American River Parkway Foundation October 21, 2023
In collaboration with the American River Parkway Foundation, the Caltrans Stormwater Public Education Program sponsored a park cleanup at the River District & Briotix in Sacramento, CA. With the help of 10 volunteers, 690 pounds of litter was collected & properly disposed of.
Coastal Cleanup Day - Sacramento October 3, 2023
The Caltrans Stormwater Program sponsored the Great American River Cleanup in partnership with the American River Parkway Foundation at Discovery Park in Sacramento. This Coastal Cleanup Day collaboration resulted in 1,266 volunteers collecting over 22,000 pounds of trash throughout the American River Parkway.
Coastal Cleanup Day - San Francisco September 23, 2023
On Saturday, September 23, 2023, the Stormwater Program joined forces with Refuse Refuse San Francisco for a Coastal Cleanup Day litter pickup event held at Ocean Beach in San Francisco, CA. The event centered around the theme "No Butts on the Beach," with a special focus on cigarette butt collection, given their status as the most frequently littered item on highways and beaches which significantly contribute to stormwater pollution.
The event garnered enthusiastic participation, attracting over 160 volunteers from various organizations. In total, an impressive haul of 180 13-gallon bags of trash and over 2,000 cigarette butts were collected, underscoring the event's success in contributing to cleaner shores and heightened awareness of stormwater pollution prevention.
Coastal Cleanup Day - Orange County September 17, 2023
On Saturday, September 23, 2023, the Stormwater Program joined forces with Refuse Refuse San Francisco for a Coastal Cleanup Day litter pickup event held at Ocean Beach in San Francisco, CA. The event centered around the theme "No Butts on the Beach," with a special focus on cigarette butt collection, given their status as the most frequently littered item on highways and beaches which significantly contribute to stormwater pollution.
Sacramento River Cats Homestand September 12, 2023
The Caltrans Stormwater Program joined forces with the Sacramento River Cats to deliver an enlightening booth experience at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento, CA. Our team engaged in 46 insightful touchpoints delving into the intricate world of stormwater pollution's impact on water quality. These interactions were notably more in-depth and extensive compared to previous events, reflecting a growing interest in this critical topic.
Summer River Cats Games from August 2 to 6, 2023
The Caltrans Stormwater Program teamed up with the Sacramento River Cats to present outreach materials and general information at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento, CA. Over the course of the six-day homestand, our program engaged with thousands of attendees and distributed educational resources aimed at reducing source pollution on our highways and waterways. We also met a bunch of furry friends during their “Wet Nose Wednesday” promotion to remind attendees that picking up and properly disposing of pet waste can help keep bacteria from harming our precious waterways.
Summer Clean-Up on July 23, 2023
The Caltrans Stormwater Program collaborated with the American River Parkway Foundation to host an On the Water Clean-Up event at Sailor Bark Park in Sacramento, CA. The cleanup event lasted from 8am to 12:30pm and hosted 11 participants who collected 300 pounds of trash.
California State Parks Foundation Cleanup Event on Tuesday, May 30, 2023
In collaboration with the California State Parks Foundation, the Caltrans Stormwater Campaign sponsored a park cleanup at the Folsom Lake State Recreation Area. With the help of 17 volunteers, 70 pounds of trash and 3 bags of recycling were collected & properly disposed of.
Spring Clean-up on Saturday, April 15, 2023 in Sacramento
The Caltrans Stormwater Program collaborated with American River Parkway Foundation to host a Spring Clean-up event at in Sacramento, CA. The cleanup event had over 784 volunteers who collected 21,410 pounds of trash!
Coastal Cleanup Day Partner Events Throughout CA, September 1 – 30, 2022
During Coastal Cleanup Day (Month), our partners committed to hosting cleanup events all throughout California. The events took place near their local bodies of water whether that be creeks, rivers, lakes streams or Ocean. Below is a recap of our collective efforts to keep our highways and waterways clean.
San Diego River Park Foundation Clean Up Event on Saturday, September 24, 2022
The Caltrans Stormwater Program collaborated with San Diego River Park Foundation to host a cleanup event at Ocean Beach. This event had 25 volunteers who collected 2,100 pounds of trash.
Cleanup Day Trash Castle Event – Huntington Beach September 17, 2022
The “Trash Castle” installation was a temporary art piece made out of reclaimed plastics and other discarded materials to represent the thousands of pounds of trash that accumulates on our state beaches and enters our waterways every year.
“Trash Castle” represents a removal of pollutants from our waterways and the beginning of how we can regenerate damaged ecosystems that are deeply present in disproportionately burdened communities. This illustrates how we can avoid “Tides of Trash,” where pollution overtakes our precious resources that are key to our vitality.
View the Trash Castle PSA on YouTube
Richard and Judith Lang, a married collaborative team of artists, have made it their passion to collect and transform plastic debris from Kehoe Beach in Northern California into works of art for the past 23 years. Their collection efforts have resulted in over two tons of material being removed from the beach and several art pieces for the public to enjoy. Their goal is to show the essence of the material as it is, with minimal artistic manipulation. The end result is often a new awareness of how trash can be reinvented into something beautiful.
Their artwork has been featured in over 70 exhibitions in galleries and museums; educational and science centers including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Artist Windows, the United Nations World Environment Day, the Cummings Gallery at Stanford University, and the University of San Francisco. Their work was recently exhibited at the California Academy of Sciences, Sausalito's Marine Mammal Center, The Oakland Museum, and Hong Kong's Ocean Film Festival. Since 1999, they have been close collaborators and have been featured in over 70 exhibitions in galleries and museums.
Coastal Keepers Clean Up Event on Saturday, September 17, 2022 at Ormond Beach
The cleanup hosted by Coastal Keepers, sponsored by the Caltrans Stormwater Program, collected 1,000 pounds of trash thanks to the 60 volunteers who came out to help. At the event, Caltrans provided educational materials such as tire pressure gauges, pet waste bag dispensers, infographics and localized pollutant of concern guides to share clean water habits.
Santa Barbara 805 Coastal Keeper Clean Up Event on Saturday, September 17, 2022
The cleanup hosted by 805 Coastal Keepers, sponsored by the Caltrans Stormwater Program, collected 101 pounds of trash thanks to the volunteers who came out to help. At the event, staff distributed Let’s Change This to That pollutants of concern guides, tire pressure gauges, and pet waste bag dispensers.
Mile Steward River & Great American River Clean Up Event on Saturday, September 17 & Sunday, September 18, 2022
The Caltrans Stormwater Public Education Campaign sponsored a two-day cleanup event to celebrate Coastal Cleanup Day from September 17 through September 18 at American River Parkway. The event had over 1,300 volunteers who collected 41,000 pounds of trash from local waterways.
Orange County Coastkeepers Coastal Clean Up Day on Saturday, September 17, 2022
The Caltrans Stormwater Public Education Campaign collaborated with Orange County Coastkeepers to host cleanup events throughout Southern California. The cleanup events included 2,747 volunteers who collected 11,966.14 pounds of trash.
California State Parks Foundation Cleanup Event Tuesday September 6, 2022
In collaboration with the California State Parks Foundation, the Caltrans Stormwater Public Education Program sponsored a park cleanup at the Folsom Lake State Recreation Area. With the help of 10 volunteers, 12 bags of trash and 3 bags of recycling were collected & properly disposed of.
American River Parkway Clean Up Event on Saturday, August 20, 2022
The Caltrans Stormwater Public Education Campaign sponsored a cleanup event at the America River Parkway. A total of 500 pounds of trash was removed with the help of several volunteers.
Heal the Bay Clean Up Event on Saturday, August 20, 2022
Caltrans Stormwater partnered with Heal the Bay for the ‘Nothin’ but Sand Beach Cleanup at Venice Beach. With the help of 274 attendants, we were able to collect 133.5 pounds of trash.
Orange County Coastkeeper Clean Up Event on Saturday, August 13, 2022
The Caltrans Stormwater Program sponsored a cleanup event in partnership with the Orange County Coastkeeper at Huntington State Beach. Thank you to the volunteers who collected 500 pounds of trash.
American River Parkway Clean Up Event on Sunday, July 17, 2022
The Caltrans Stormwater Program sponsored a cleanup on July 17 at American River Parkway. Volunteers at the site collected 500 pounds of trash.
Orange County Coastkeeper Clean Up Event on Saturday, July 16, 2022
Caltrans Stormwater partnered with the Orange County Coastkeeper to hold a cleanup event at San Clemente State Beach. Thank you to the volunteers who collected 130 pounds of trash.
Orange County Coastkeeper Clean Up Event on Saturday, July 9, 2022
Caltrans Stormwater partnered with the Orange County Coastkeeper to hold a cleanup event at Huntington State Beach. The volunteers collected 189 pounds of trash.
Folsom Lake State Beach Clean-up on July 5, 2022
After the Fourth of July holiday, 22 volunteers gathered at Folsom Lake State Beach to collect 30 bags of trash.
Sustainable Saturday: American River Parkway on June 11, 2022
Caltrans Stormwater partnered with the American River Parkway to collect over 200 pounds of trash with the help of 40 volunteers.
American River Parkway on Saturday, May 21, 2022
The Caltrans Stormwater Program sponsored a cleanup on May 21 at American River Parkway. 29 volunteers attended picking up a total of 350 pounds of trash.
Huntington State Beach Clean Up Event on Saturday, May 14, 2022
The Caltrans Stormwater Program organized a cleanup event at Huntington State Beach. Over 400 volunteers attended, picking up 145 pounds of trash across the beach.
American River Parkway Clean Up Event on Friday, April 22, 2022
Caltrans Stormwater partnered with the American River Parkway to collect over 2,000 pounds of trash with the help of over 60 volunteers. The most interesting items discovered included a sink and a loveseat from a vehicle.
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