Clean River Efforts
Combating pollution in the San Diego River
Our Clean River Program organizes volunteers to work toward a pollution-free San Diego River. We focus these efforts on the lower 21 miles of the river in the cities of Santee and San Diego, though we also work on targeted tributaries and parts of the unincorporated county.
Our approach is innovative because we collect robust, comprehensive data about trash and condition of the San Diego River through field surveys. By having our boots on the ground almost daily, we are uniquely positioned to make plans and advocate for effective and efficient trash removal. We partner with the City of San Diego, City of Santee, other public agencies and land owners and managers to work together to take action against trash and pollution!
River Assessment Field Team
Also known as RAFT, this team is all about data collection! Under the guidance of a trained leader, volunteers help scout for trash twice per week, recording the data in a custom mapping tool.
Clean & Green Team
The Clean & Green Team mobilizes volunteers to remove trash and help create a healthier, cleaner, safer San Diego River Park system. Trash removal events are a great way to get involved, and no previous experience is needed.
River Rescue Team
The River Rescuers are a small but mighty clean-up team! They tackle clean-up in areas of the San Diego River that are not suited for a large community clean-up, are too remote, or require special training. Many volunteers join on a regular basis but we welcome new friends!