About Us

The Sacramento Stormwater Quality Partnership (SSQP) is a multi-jurisdictional
program made up of Sacramento County and the incorporated cities of Sacramento,
Citrus Heights, Elk Grove, Folsom, Galt, and Rancho Cordova, educating and
encouraging the community to protect local waterways from the impacts of urban
run-off, which flows untreated from storm drains to creeks, streams and rivers.

What is Stormwater?

Stormwater is rain that flows over land or impervious surfaces, such as paved streets, parking lots, and building rooftops, and does not soak into the ground. In urban areas less rain is able to infiltrate into the ground, thus creating urban runoff and picking up pollutants along the way. Stormwater carries pollutants such as trash, pet waste, and garden chemicals into nearby storm drains, which eventually flows into waterways untreated. This harms the quality of our waterways.

Learn more

Ways to Protect Water

We need your help to protect our local waters!

Water pollution primarily comes from residents and you
are the most important solution to stormwater pollution.
Learn how you can help prevent stormwater pollution
and improve our community.

Get Involved

Mercury

Mercury is very toxic to people and wildlife, and some of its uses have resulted in widespread contamination of the environment. Let’s work together to protect and enhance the quality of life in our neighborhoods and throughout the community for our enjoyment now…and for our children’s enjoyment in the future.

Stop pollution at the source:

Learn more
Mercury

Pesticides

Using less or non-toxic alternatives in your garden is important for a healthy garden, the beneficial bugs, our waterways, and our ecosystem. Let’s work together to protect and enhance the quality of life in our neighborhoods and throughout the community for our enjoyment now…and for our children’s enjoyment in the future.

Stop pollution at the source:

Learn more
Pesticides

Pet Waste

When pet waste is improperly disposed of, it can be picked up by stormwater runoff and washed into storm drains then directly to the river without being treated. Let’s work together to protect and enhance the quality of life in our neighborhoods and throughout the community for our enjoyment now…and for our children’s enjoyment in the future.

Stop pollution at the source:

Learn more
Pet Waste

Trash

Litter from sidewalks, streets, parking lots, and nature areas eventually find its way into our rivers. Let’s work together to protect and enhance the quality of life in our neighborhoods and throughout the community for our enjoyment now…and for our children’s enjoyment in the future.

Stop pollution at the source:

Learn more
Trash
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  • Mercury

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  • Pet Waste

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  • Trash

Events Calendar

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  • NatureFest 2023
    10:00 -15:00
    10/08/2023

    Check out Effie Yeaw Nature Center’s largest family event of the year – NatureFest! This event promotes science & nature education and is an excellent opportunity to learn more about local organizations that support our community.

    Held in the Fall at Effie Yeaw Nature Center, this family-friendly event includes live animal presentations, hands-on activities, demonstrations, guided nature hikes, and more!

    This year, Gabe Kerschner from Wild Things: Conservation Ambassadors returns as our main stage presenter! Exhibitors include Be River Friendly’s Sacramento Stormwater Quality Partnership, Save the Snakes, Palomacy, Sacramento Splash, Sacramento Audubon Society and more!

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  • RCWA – Steelhead Creek Weekly Cleanup
    09:00 -12:00
    10/18/2023

    We will be starting a new area of the American River Parkway. We will meet at the south west levee gate of Steelhead Creek at West El Camino, near where we have met before. We will park nearby on the levee.
    These weekly Wednesday cleanups will continue to work downstream, within the parkway.
    We are continuing our work with Friends of Steelhead Creek stewards Roland Brady and Crystal Tobias to clean this area of the American River Parkway.
    Please come out and help with this project. We will provide bags, but please bring along your sturdy footware, grabbers, buckets, gloves, and hats – a limited number of loaner buckets and grabbers may be available. Entry into the water is always optional.
    As with all events shared on RCWA, participation is performed solely at your own risk. Please place safety FIRST and do only what you feel comfortable doing. Moreover, participants will be required to sign a Release and Waiver form if they have not done so previously.
    Overall, be safe, have fun, and get some “Exercise with a Purpose” as Bill Templin always says!
    Thank you!
    River City Waterway Alliance
    “Restoring & Protecting Our Waterways”
    Instagram @RiverCityWaterwayAlliance
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  • RCWA – Woodlake Cleanup
    09:00 -12:00
    10/19/2023

    Location: 1400 Expo Parkway, Sacramento, CA 95815

     

    We will meet along the street in front of Sac Behavioral Healthcare Hospital at 1400 Expo Parkway. Wait in the “no parking” areas along the street. We will be driving down the bike trail access, thru the gate, onto dusty dirt roads, out to our cleanup spot. THIS CLEANUP WILL BE BEHIND LOCKED GATES, PLEASE BE ON TIME AND PLAN TO STAY THE WHOLE 3 HOURS.
    Sturdy shoes/boots and long sleeves and long pants are recommended because of thick bramble and poison oak. This will be a medium level event with a moderate walk.
    RCWA will provide bags, but please bring along your grabbers, buckets, and gloves – a limited number of loaner buckets and grabbers may be available.
    As with all events shared on RCWA, participation is performed solely at your own risk. Please place safety FIRST and do only what you feel comfortable doing. Moreover, participants will be required to sign a Release and Waiver form if they have not done so previously.
    Overall, be safe, have fun and get some “Exercise with a Purpose” as Bill Templin says.
    Thank you!
    River City Waterway Alliance
    “Restoring & Protecting Our Waterways”
    Instagram @RiverCityWaterwayAlliance
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  • RCWA – Bannon Island SURF & TURF
    14:00 -17:00
    10/20/2023

    This event is for 16+ years old only.
    As we wrap up Bannon Island for the summer, we want to be sure to clean the waterfront. The entire island has steep banks. We need lots of help. Many people will be parking right on the island as normal and others will be launching paddle boats from Discovery Park. Parking passes will be available. Team members on the island will be climbing down banks and hauling, by rope, up the steep banks.
    Some extra boats Might be available. Please let us know if you want to join the paddle crew.
    If working on the banks isn’t your thing, we challenge anyone to try to fill a bag. We bet you have to search far and wide to do so.
    For those who want, we will again be driving right down and parking on the island. Parking will still be available in the big parking lot across Garden Hwy for those who don’t want to drive on the dirt road. You can park at 2150 River Plaza Dr and walk across Garden Hwy toward Interstate 5 and follow the signs down the dirt road to the dirt parking lot. Don’t be late, you will not find us.
    Sturdy shoes/boots and long sleeves and long pants are recommended because of thick bramble and poison oak. This will be a medium level event with a moderate walk.
    RCWA will provide bags, but please bring along your grabbers, buckets, and gloves – a limited number of loaner buckets and grabbers may be available.
    As with all events shared on RCWA, participation is performed solely at your own risk. Please place safety FIRST and do only what you feel comfortable doing. Moreover, participants will be required to sign a Release and Waiver form if they have not done so previously.
    Overall, be safe, have fun and get some “Exercise with a Purpose” as Bill Templin says.
    Thank you!
    River City Waterway Alliance
    “Restoring & Protecting Our Waterways”
    Instagram @RiverCityWaterwayAlliance
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  • Arcade Creek Cleanup @ Palm Avenue
    09:00 -12:00
    10/21/2023

    Location: 5600 Palm Avenue, Sacramento, CA

     

    EAST SIDE OF PALM:
    Please join us for this “maintenance mode” cleanup of Arcade Creek behind Mountain Mike’s Pizza. RCWA is continuing to partner with Arcade Creek – Adopt A Creek Project to focus on another infamously trashed stretch of this 16.2 mile creek.
    Please bring water and only do what you are comfortable doing. As always, you can leave whenever you want or need. Also, since we won’t venture too far from our parking spot, and should be easy to find, late-comers are welcome. Please park on the EAST side of the creek and make not to block any driveways.
    We will begin our cleanup at Palm Avenue and work upstream towards Auburn Blvd and will be removing litter and bulk items in the creek and along both sides of the banks (some buried deep in the channel, some right on the surface). This cleanup location has some challenging access spots into the creek and may require a rope to get into the channel, however, there are some flat spots at the end of Palm for easy pickin’.
    There is water in the channel. Some areas may be fine with rain boots, while other spots may need waders or hip boots to access. Do only what you are comfortable with. We will pull up all debris and trash up the banks using ropes and loading it into the trailer by hand.
    The event will range in difficulty from moderate to hard and may not be suitable for children under the age of 16. There will be something for almost everyone as we will be cleaning in the creek and up above, on land.
    We will provide bags, but please bring along your sturdy footwear, grabbers, buckets, and gloves – a limited number of loaner buckets and grabbers may be available. If there is water in the creek, participants will be required to wear rain boots or waders if they intend to get into the water. Entry into any waters is always optional.
    As with all events shared on our Page, participation is performed solely at your own risk. Please place safety FIRST and do only what you feel comfortable doing.
    Moreover, participants will be required to sign a Release and Waiver form if they have not done so previously.
    Overall, be safe, have fun and get some “Exercise with a Purpose”!, as Bill Templin says. Thank you! 
    Arcade Creek Adopt-A-Creek Project
    https://www.facebook.com/ArcadeCreekAACP
  • American River Parkway Foundation – River District & Briotix
    09:00 -12:00
    10/21/2023

    Location: Township9 Park, 611 Riverine Way, Sacramento, CA 95811

     

    *THIS IS AN 18+ EVENT ONLY*

     

    Join the River District and Briotix Health, our Volunteer Mile Stewards at Mile 02S, for a Clean-Up on the American River Parkway.

     

    Participate in citizen science by helping us document the biodiversity of our parks using iNaturalist. During the last 30 minutes of the clean-up, use your smartphone to take pictures and add them to our project https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/american-river-parkway-bioblitz. Remember to download the iNaturalist app and create an account before you join the clean-up.

     

    Please arrive by 9:00am to sign in and receive a safety briefing. Volunteers will head out to clean by 9:10am. Volunteers 18 and over must bring a completed and signed 2023 Waiver.

     

    CANCELLATION POLICY:
    For the safety of our volunteers, ARPF volunteer events are subject to cancellation in the case of weather, flooding, and other natural causes. Cancellations will be posted on the ARPF calendar at least 24 hours before the event start time, and all registered volunteers will receive an email notification.

  • American River Cleanup @ Woodlake with YELC
    10:00 -12:00
    10/21/2023
    Join several 6th/7th graders enrolled in Sacramento Splash’s Youth Environmental Leadership Camp clean this swath of the American River in the Woodlake area as part of their requisite volunteer activity involvement!
    This is the second in a series of YELC volunteer opportunities for the campers and is open to SPIU volunteers and the general public, so grab a friend and come on out to clear trash from the trails!
    Bring gloves, buckets and grabbers, though we’ll have some grabbers to loan. Bring water!
    We’ll meet in the parking lot at 1767 Tribute Road to park and have a pre-cleanup/safety chat before heading up the trailhead to clear trash from the levee & bike path to an abandoned encampment, plus freeway trash!
    We’ll cover proper handling of sharps (if any are found, though we did not see any in our reconnaissance of the area) and cover how to create a 311 report to alert County services for trash pickup.
    We’ll be making a relatively short walk up and down the levee on both paved and dirt trails, and some uneven ground.
    Volunteer activities are performed at your own risk, as always.
    Safety is always first!
    County waivers will be provided.
  • Arcade Creek Cleanup @ Brookside MHP
    13:00 -17:00
    10/21/2023

    Location: 5531 Brook Park Lane, Sacramento, CA
    This is yet another cleanup aimed at our unprecedented quest to completely clean a 5-mile contiguous stretch of this 16.2 mile creek. We won’t get there before the rains without a concerted group effort. Every single cleanup right now is incredibly important and we need your help.
    We will begin our cleanup in the south end of the Brookside Mobile Home Park and will park along the first entrance road. Please enter the mobile home park from Madison Avenue (just west of Hackberry Lane) and make your first left, parking single file at the white wooden fence. Please be cautions of irrigation sprinklers in the grass.
    We will continue to clean downstream towards Madison Avenue – we are so close we can see it now! This is a wet section of the creek, so we recommend rain boots or waders if you have them. If not, we need a crew working ropes up top on the very flat, accessible top banks. There is some water in the channel. Some sections may be fine with boots while others may need hip waders or full waders.
    Late comers should have no difficulty finding the group in this area as we will enter the creek at the Madison bridge.
    The event will most likely range in difficulty from moderate to hard and is suitable for children over the age of 16.
    We will provide bags, but please bring along your sturdy footwear, grabbers, buckets and gloves – a limited number of loaner buckets and grabbers may be available. If there is water in the creek, participants will be required to wear rain boots or waders if they intend to get into the water. Entry into any waters is always optional.
    As with all events shared on our Page, participation is performed solely at your own risk. Please place safety FIRST and do only what you feel comfortable doing.
    Moreover, participants will be required to sign a Release and Waiver form if they have not done so previously.
    Overall, be safe, have fun and get some “Exercise with a Purpose”!
    Thank you!
    Arcade Creek Adopt-A-Creek Project
    https://www.facebook.com/ArcadeCreekAACP
  • More events
    • Arcade Creek Cleanup @ Palm Avenue
      09:00 -12:00
      10/21/2023

      Location: 5600 Palm Avenue, Sacramento, CA

       

      EAST SIDE OF PALM:
      Please join us for this “maintenance mode” cleanup of Arcade Creek behind Mountain Mike’s Pizza. RCWA is continuing to partner with Arcade Creek – Adopt A Creek Project to focus on another infamously trashed stretch of this 16.2 mile creek.
      Please bring water and only do what you are comfortable doing. As always, you can leave whenever you want or need. Also, since we won’t venture too far from our parking spot, and should be easy to find, late-comers are welcome. Please park on the EAST side of the creek and make not to block any driveways.
      We will begin our cleanup at Palm Avenue and work upstream towards Auburn Blvd and will be removing litter and bulk items in the creek and along both sides of the banks (some buried deep in the channel, some right on the surface). This cleanup location has some challenging access spots into the creek and may require a rope to get into the channel, however, there are some flat spots at the end of Palm for easy pickin’.
      There is water in the channel. Some areas may be fine with rain boots, while other spots may need waders or hip boots to access. Do only what you are comfortable with. We will pull up all debris and trash up the banks using ropes and loading it into the trailer by hand.
      The event will range in difficulty from moderate to hard and may not be suitable for children under the age of 16. There will be something for almost everyone as we will be cleaning in the creek and up above, on land.
      We will provide bags, but please bring along your sturdy footwear, grabbers, buckets, and gloves – a limited number of loaner buckets and grabbers may be available. If there is water in the creek, participants will be required to wear rain boots or waders if they intend to get into the water. Entry into any waters is always optional.
      As with all events shared on our Page, participation is performed solely at your own risk. Please place safety FIRST and do only what you feel comfortable doing.
      Moreover, participants will be required to sign a Release and Waiver form if they have not done so previously.
      Overall, be safe, have fun and get some “Exercise with a Purpose”!, as Bill Templin says. Thank you! 
      Arcade Creek Adopt-A-Creek Project
      https://www.facebook.com/ArcadeCreekAACP
    • American River Parkway Foundation - River District & Briotix
      09:00 -12:00
      10/21/2023

      Location: Township9 Park, 611 Riverine Way, Sacramento, CA 95811

       

      *THIS IS AN 18+ EVENT ONLY*

       

      Join the River District and Briotix Health, our Volunteer Mile Stewards at Mile 02S, for a Clean-Up on the American River Parkway.

       

      Participate in citizen science by helping us document the biodiversity of our parks using iNaturalist. During the last 30 minutes of the clean-up, use your smartphone to take pictures and add them to our project https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/american-river-parkway-bioblitz. Remember to download the iNaturalist app and create an account before you join the clean-up.

       

      Please arrive by 9:00am to sign in and receive a safety briefing. Volunteers will head out to clean by 9:10am. Volunteers 18 and over must bring a completed and signed 2023 Waiver.

       

      CANCELLATION POLICY:
      For the safety of our volunteers, ARPF volunteer events are subject to cancellation in the case of weather, flooding, and other natural causes. Cancellations will be posted on the ARPF calendar at least 24 hours before the event start time, and all registered volunteers will receive an email notification.

    • American River Cleanup @ Woodlake with YELC
      10:00 -12:00
      10/21/2023
      Join several 6th/7th graders enrolled in Sacramento Splash’s Youth Environmental Leadership Camp clean this swath of the American River in the Woodlake area as part of their requisite volunteer activity involvement!
      This is the second in a series of YELC volunteer opportunities for the campers and is open to SPIU volunteers and the general public, so grab a friend and come on out to clear trash from the trails!
      Bring gloves, buckets and grabbers, though we’ll have some grabbers to loan. Bring water!
      We’ll meet in the parking lot at 1767 Tribute Road to park and have a pre-cleanup/safety chat before heading up the trailhead to clear trash from the levee & bike path to an abandoned encampment, plus freeway trash!
      We’ll cover proper handling of sharps (if any are found, though we did not see any in our reconnaissance of the area) and cover how to create a 311 report to alert County services for trash pickup.
      We’ll be making a relatively short walk up and down the levee on both paved and dirt trails, and some uneven ground.
      Volunteer activities are performed at your own risk, as always.
      Safety is always first!
      County waivers will be provided.
    • Arcade Creek Cleanup @ Brookside MHP
      13:00 -17:00
      10/21/2023
      Location: 5531 Brook Park Lane, Sacramento, CA
      This is yet another cleanup aimed at our unprecedented quest to completely clean a 5-mile contiguous stretch of this 16.2 mile creek. We won’t get there before the rains without a concerted group effort. Every single cleanup right now is incredibly important and we need your help.
      We will begin our cleanup in the south end of the Brookside Mobile Home Park and will park along the first entrance road. Please enter the mobile home park from Madison Avenue (just west of Hackberry Lane) and make your first left, parking single file at the white wooden fence. Please be cautions of irrigation sprinklers in the grass.
      We will continue to clean downstream towards Madison Avenue – we are so close we can see it now! This is a wet section of the creek, so we recommend rain boots or waders if you have them. If not, we need a crew working ropes up top on the very flat, accessible top banks. There is some water in the channel. Some sections may be fine with boots while others may need hip waders or full waders.
      Late comers should have no difficulty finding the group in this area as we will enter the creek at the Madison bridge.
      The event will most likely range in difficulty from moderate to hard and is suitable for children over the age of 16.
      We will provide bags, but please bring along your sturdy footwear, grabbers, buckets and gloves – a limited number of loaner buckets and grabbers may be available. If there is water in the creek, participants will be required to wear rain boots or waders if they intend to get into the water. Entry into any waters is always optional.
      As with all events shared on our Page, participation is performed solely at your own risk. Please place safety FIRST and do only what you feel comfortable doing.
      Moreover, participants will be required to sign a Release and Waiver form if they have not done so previously.
      Overall, be safe, have fun and get some “Exercise with a Purpose”!
      Thank you!
      Arcade Creek Adopt-A-Creek Project
      https://www.facebook.com/ArcadeCreekAACP
22
  • McKinley Park Trash Dash
    10:00 -12:00
    10/22/2023

    Location: McKinley Park by the duck pond

     

    Come out for our monthly Trash Dash at McKinley Park. This is a very family friendly event, and also a great opportunity for any local students to get community service credits.

     

    We’ll have Parks donated trash grabbers and garbage bags, and a dumpster to fill up. Come out, meet some new friends and make our park shiny. Our group will be out there from 10 am until noon, meeting up by the duck pond

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  • RCWA – Sacramento Riverfront Promenade Cleanup
    09:00 -11:00
    10/29/2023

    Thanks to the City of Sacramento’s Neighborhood Clean-Up Grant Program, Sacramento Area Creeks Council is partnering with River City Waterway Alliance to clean the Sacramento Riverfront Promenade. We hope to remove trash that is not only a blight, but has the high potential for making its way into the river below.
    This event will be fairly easy and appropriate for all ages, however, children under 16 must be supervised by an adult. Please park in the metered parking spots near the intersection of O Street and Front Street, though parking is FREE on Sundays.
    SACC and RCWA will provide bags and will haul away the trash, but please bring along your sturdy footwear, grabbers, buckets and gloves – a limited number of loaner buckets, gloves and grabbers may be available.
    As with all events shared by SACC and RCWA, participation is performed solely at your own risk. Please place safety FIRST and do only what you feel comfortable doing. Moreover, participants will be required to sign a Release and Waiver form if they have not done so previously.
    Thank you!
    Sacramento Area Creeks Council
    https://www.facebook.com/CreekWeek.Sac/
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November
November
November
November
Man walking dog

Pet waste is a significant, yet preventable, water pollutant. Please clean up after your pet!

Not all bugs are bad! Learn how
good bugs can defend your home
against pests

Landscape and Nursery Expo

Businesses from all around participate in this annual event. Residents can learn various landscape techniques as well as purchase supplies, equipment, and attend educational seminars.

Tuesday, May 3

For More Information

Contact the Sacramento Stormwater Quality Partnership at

ssqpinfo@cityofsacramento.org
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