Water Quality Improvement Efforts

To report storm drains or creek pollution: (805) 897-2688

Urban runoff comes from a number of common residential and commercial activities such as runoff from landscape irrigation, street car washing, and parking lot and sidewalk washing. Bacterial pollutants come from soil; pet, wild animal and bird feces; garbage and green waste; among other sources. The Creeks Division has many projects and programs to improve water quality in the creeks, lagoons and beaches.

Water Quality Improvement Projects
The Creeks Division, with assistance from State grant funding, has recently installed capital projects to improve water quality and is moving forward with additional projects.

Storm Drain Diversions
The Hope Avenue and Haley Street Low Flow Diversions divert summer flow from the Hope Avenue and Haley Street storm drains to the sanitary sewer for treatment.

Water Treatment
The Westside Water Quality Improvement Project, also known as the SURF Project, uses ultra-violet light to eliminate microbes in summer runoff from the Westside Drain before it enters Old Mission Creek at Bohnett Park.

Projects in Development:

S  Upper Las Positas Creek Restoration and Storm Water Management Project (at the SB Golf Club):  This project will use “natural” methods, including detention basins and bioswales, to treat storm water and incidental runoff at the Golf Club before it enters Las Positas Creek. PROJECT FAQ

S  Laguna Channel Disinfection:  The Creeks Division will study the Laguna Channel Watershed to determine the best treatment project(s) for improving water quality before it reaches the lagoon and East Beach.

Click here to view the Final Report on the Laguna Watershed Study and Water Quality Feasibility Analysis.

S  Old Mission Creek at W. Figueroa:  The Creeks Division is working on the design of a project that will use detention and biofiltration to improve water quality in Old Mission Creek during rain events.

Water Quality Enforcement Program – 897-2688
The City of Santa Barbara has a system of regulations to protect its waterways and the ocean from pollution and degradation.  These rules can be found in the City’s Municipal Code (Title 16) and cover an array of concerns including, but not limited to, waste disposal, construction responsibilities, and drainage connections.

Two full-time Creeks Division Water Resources Specialists respond to and resolve water quality violations. They also have the authority to issue notices of violation and administrative fines under Municipal Code Title 16.

Water Quality Monitoring Program
The goals of the water quality monitoring program are to understand pollution problems in watersheds throughout the city, evaluate the effectiveness of the City’s restoration and water-quality treatment projects, and communicate meaningful information to the public. The Creeks Division collects samples from storm drains, creeks, lagoons, and the surf zone, and uses a variety of methods to understand pollution. Methods include water sampling, creek walks, and benthic macroinvertebrate sampling. For more information on the Water Quality Monitoring Program, click here.

Microbial Source Tracking Research
The Creeks Division funds scientific research with the University of California, Santa Barbara in order to learn the sources of indicator bacteria in storm drains, creeks, and the ocean. For further information on the Microbial Source Tracking Research, click here.

Creek Clean-Ups
While the relationship between garbage in creeks and water quality is unclear, it is apparent that cleaning debris from creeks helps to keep debris off beaches and out of the ocean. However, fecal matter from wild animals, pets and people is also found in our creeks and while every attempt is made to remove it in a timely manner, some inevitably finds its way to the ocean, degrading the water quality and posing health risks to human and non-human populations. The Creeks Program contracts with an outside vendor to clean creeks on a weekly basis. Trash, furniture, appliances, bicycles, mattresses and grocery carts are collected, as well as any other material that does not belong in the creek.

Storm Drain Filters
In an effort to clean water before it enters the City’s water systems, 100 special storm drain filters have been installed in key locations including the City’s Yanonali Street Annex Yard and at the intersection of West Haley Street at Brinkerhoff. These filters capture debris, garbage, and sediment that otherwise would have gone into the creeks.

Street Sweeping Program
During December 2001, the City of Santa Barbara piloted a street sweeping program in the Downtown and Westside neighborhoods along Mission Creek. The purpose of piloting Clean Sweep was to determine the effectiveness of street sweeping in improving water quality as well as to evaluate other aspects of implementing a citywide street sweeping program. In July 2003, the program was expanded to include the Eastside neighborhood.

Partially funded by the Creeks Program, Clean Sweep keeps trash and debris out of storm drains and creeks. The debris collected from the streets is considered solid waste and is sent to landfill. Program records indicate that the sweeper regularly picks up dirt, leaves, trash, yard waste, and construction runoff. This material is tested on a regular basis for heavy metals, petroleum products, and residual pesticides.

For more information on Street Sweeping, contact Nick Cabugos at 897-2541.

We welcome your comments and suggestions. Send messages and inquiries to Liz Smith