Public Education & Public Outreach
Stormwater Program Information & Resources
Increase your knowledge on a variety of topics from eco-friendly pest management, car care, pool/spa maintenance, and much more – all done with protection of our creeks in mind.
Learn Best Management Practices (BMPs) requirements for your business, plus find out how to become acknowledged through the Green Business Program.
Explore classroom resources and student activities about local creeks, water quality, watersheds, and the water cycle.
Volunteer opportunities are announced regularly through citizen environmental groups, cleanup days and other events.
Community Partnerships & Volunteers
Save the Whales - Providing Public Education & Public Outreach
Salinas Stormwater Program is excited to have an internationally recognized organization providing Public Education & Public Outreach services to the City. Save the Whales currently provides these services for the Monterey Regional Stormwater Management Program cities on the Monterey Peninsula. Utilizing Save the Whales will result in cost savings for the overall Salinas Stormwater Program by utilizing educational and outreach program materials currently in existence and partnering with other area stormwater programs. Some of the benefits/highlights Save the Whales will provide include:
- Hands on educational programs for Salinas grades 3-12 (20-24 programs) including effectiveness evaluations, as required by the Salinas NPDES Permit.
- Parent engagement for educational activities related to stormwater and litter. Save the Whales will utilize grant funds for the bulk of the program to invite parents from sixteen grade 5-6 classrooms to participate in eight outdoor field trips with students, including busses. Bilingual education will be available.
- Working with local community partners to participate/engage the public in 3 events and/or sponsor creek clean-up/restoration projects,etc.
- Engaging College Service Students to support the Salinas Stormwater Program by assisting with events.
- Encouraging student participation in NOAA Zero Waste Week by having students visit 12-15 classrooms to educate them about the marine life and how activities on land (littering, street pollution) can reach rivers, creeks and eventually the ocean.
- Our Water Our World Program outreach in existing Salinas stores in English and Spanish to engage the public regarding alternatives to pesticides. This will include positioning of outreach materials in racks and talking to patrons.
- Targeted business outreach for restaurant bilingual outreach and/or auto repair including materials.
- Radio ads on both English and Spanish, including production of an ad in Spanish focusing on oil dumping and City staff/clean-up contact.
- Production of a 15-second digital movie ad for the Salinas Northridge Mall Cinema to air on 14 screens, prior to every movie, to reach movie patrons with the City's stormwater message.
- Participation with Monterey Regional Stormwater Program to share costs for airing ads on both English and Spanish TV stations. 50% of the budget will be used for Spanish stations.
Educators interested in receiving the benefit of the above school programs are encouraged to contact Heidi Niggemeyer, Salinas Stormwater Program Manager at 758-7988 or via e-mail at [email protected] for additional information.
Public Education & Public Outreach News
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FIVE Winning Dogs & Their Owners Help Protect OUR Creeks, River, Bay, and Ocean
Last month, the Salinas Stormwater Program held a pet contest in which each contestant submitted a photo of their dog and answered how they prevent pet waste from entering storm drains that lead straight to Salinas creeks, the Salinas River, and the Monterey Bay. Not only are these winning pets adorable, they also have winning owners who help protect OUR Creeks, River, Bay, Ocean, and Wildlife!
And the winners are .... -
5th Graders Help Protect OUR Creeks, River, Bay, Ocean, and Wildlife with Artwork
The City of Salinas wanted to bring attention to preserving our valuable natural water resources, so we called upon our local 5th graders!
Students submitted artwork to promote the prevention of litter and other pollution from entering our storm drains that flow to our ground water, streams, creeks, rivers, and...
Find Out More -
Stormwater Outreach Movie Ad Ready for Viewing
The Water, Waste and Energy Department is pleased to announce the new movie theater ad for stormwater public outreach is here. The 15 second ad will be shown at the Northridge 14 screen movie complex over the next 8 weeks before every movie. Northridge typically sees about 46,000 patrons per month. These showings will result in potentially 92,000 views and should cover a wide demographic since PG through R rated films are normally...
Find Out More
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Save the Whales Classroom Brochures
Following are the Save the Whales Classroom Brochures for those teachers interested in receiving stormwater related education.