Protecting Watersheds is Everyone's Job! 

All of Santa Cruz's drinking water comes from local sources, most of it from rivers and streams, and a small amount from local groundwater. Protecting the watersheds from where our water comes helps ensure that source water is as safe and clean as possible before it's treated.

The Water Department offers free, science-based programs for Santa Cruz and San Lorenzo Valley students to learn about their watersheds. 

Fifth grade students from Santa Cruz schools spend a day immersed in their drinking water watershed, exploring where their water comes from, what species share the watershed, and how their actions can affect water quality and quantity. These free programs include a school assembly, transportation to field trips in Henry Cowell State Park and Loch Lomond Recreation Area, and resources for teachers.

In partnership with Coastal Watershed Council, the Water Department leads programs for San Lorenzo Valley Elementary and Middle School students to learn about environmental science, endangered species, and watershed protection.

Watershed Academy is offered to a small group of San Lorenzo Valley High School students who want to take a deeper dive into environmental science and local water resource management. Much of the program is spent in the field to understand watershed processes, fisheries, land use, and drinking water source protection. 

Bonny Doon Elementary School has been awarded an annual watershed science grant to engage students in activities related to drinking water source protection and endangered species issues. This program uses classroom teaching, demonstrations, and hands-on activities specifically focused on the North Coast watersheds

The Watershed Team provides a variety of miscellaneous programs, including co-hosting the annual State of the San Lorenzo River Symposium, interpretive "Loch Walks" in the Loch Lomond Recreation Area, and participation in local watershed and fisheries-related events.