Events – Flows to Bay

After the large success of last year’s pilot rain barrel program, Flows To Bays is happy to announce the program has been brought back and is now open to San Mateo County residents and businesses.

Flows To Bay has again partnered with Rain Water Solutions (a certified B corporation) to acquire barrels in bulk directly. This translates into significant cost savings for San Mateo County residents and businesses! As part of this program, each barrel will cost $80 (pre-tax)—over a 40% discount from the retail amount. Qualifying applicants can also apply for the countywide rebate after rain barrel purchase and installation, which may cover up to 100% of the purchase price for specific water districts. Learn how much of a rebate your qualify for here.

With San Mateo County in an extreme drought, it is more important than ever to conserve as much water as possible. For every inch that falls on a 500-square-foot area, a rain barrel can collect 310 gallons. The 726 rain barrels purchased from our program last year will capture 36,000 gallons of water each time the barrels are filled!

Rain Barrel Program

This year, the rain barrel quantity available to the San Mateo County public has increased to 1,320, available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Get Program Details

Beyond the water conservation and financial benefits, capturing rainwater also improves the water quality of our local creeks, the San Francisco Bay, and the Pacific Ocean. Rainfall funnels into streets, collecting urban pollutants from all surfaces, including roofs. These pollutants then flow into storm drains and nearby waterways without treatment. Runoff is the number one source of pollution in our waterways nationwide.

“Preventing rainwater from flowing off properties and into the streets and storm drains is a win-win environmental strategy for restoring the health of our coastal waters,” said Reid Bogert, C/CAG Sr. Stormwater Program Specialist.

“While our cities are doing a lot to prevent pollution, residents can join the cause one barrel at a time to manage rainwater on their properties. A single rain barrel is small in scale compared to the amount of rain San Mateo County receives in a wet season. Still, if everyone is empowered to help restore our coastal environments, the cumulative impact will be considerable.”

Flows To Bay is a program of the City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County (C/CAG). Through the stormwater program, C/CAG helps fund the countywide rain barrel rebate program in partnership with the Bay Area Water Supply & Conservation Agency (BAWSCA) and member water agencies.

It’s that “tide” of year again for the annual California Coastal Cleanup Day! Going on 38 years, the San Mateo County Environmental Health Services hosts a countywide Coastal Cleanup Day dedicated to local creek, park, neighborhood, and beach cleanups. If it’s an outside shared space, it counts! It all counts because it’s all connected.

Explore the Connection

Even the smallest piece of trash can make a BIG impact. Stormwater picks up trash and other pollutants and carries them into storm drains. From there, the polluted stormwater travels to local streams and creeks. Wildlife may mistake all kinds of debris for food, which harms local biodiversity. If not eaten by wildlife, trash continues to travel into our oceans where it may break down over time into tiny particles called microplastics. Microplastics are ingested by marine life, which also threatens human health when we consume seafood that has eaten microplastics. Keeping our waterways clean through pollution prevention measures such as community cleanups is crucial to a healthy and safe San Mateo County.

The Impact

We aren’t joking about the impact you can have! Just last year, 2,700 volunteers came together to pick up 22,000 pounds of trash and recyclables, keeping them out of our waterways. Small measures like dedicating a day to an organized cleanup can make a huge impact.

How to Get Involved

Participating in a local cleanup is as easy as clicking this link and registering for the nearest volunteer site! Official cleanup events will be held from 9am to noon on Saturday, September 17.

If you can’t make it to an organized cleanup event, no worries! You can pick up trash on your own any time in the month of September and it will count towards our countywide goals. Here’s how to hold a self-guided cleanup:

Register your self-guided cleanup using this form. That way, the County can make sure you have all the information you need and can send you a small thank you gift for volunteering!
Download the Swell App to track your impact.
Safety first. Follow San Mateo County’s latest safety protocols. Also, bring gloves, plenty of water, and never pick up sharp objects.
Enter a giveaway! Snap a cleanup selfie and use the hashtag #thesmccoastisclear on Facebook or Instagram to be entered to win a $25 digital Visa Gift Card. Ten winners will be selected.

Like a Wave, Stay Current

When you’re surfing the net, make sure to see what all the commocean is about! Social media accounts and additional resources for Coastal Cleanup Day can be found below:

Twitter: @smchealth
Facebook: @smchealth
Register for a cleanup event and find more information at smchealth.org/ccd.
Check out the Self-Guided Cleanup Guide if you’re planning to hold your own cleanup.
Check out this Community Cleanup Guide for checklists, safety recommendations, contact info, and information on hosting your own community cleanup.
Contact pollutionprevention@mscgov.org or call (650) 372-6200 with any questions.

We hope to sea you out there soon!

In San Mateo County, we often look forward to winter rains to bring life to spring flowers and luscious gardens. However, they may also bring troublesome weeds. While herbicides may seem like the most convenient option, there are safer, less toxic alternatives. Keeping a few eco-friendly weed management tips in mind will help avoid unnecessary pollutants from entering the Bay and impacting our health.

The Impact of Pesticides On Our Waterways

Reaching for a gallon of herbicide is often the first thing we think of when dealing with invasive weeds. While it’ll do away with the weeds, it can also harm our waterways in the process. As we receive spring rain, any pesticides in the soil will be carried in the runoff that will ultimately make its way into the ocean or the Bay. Remember, stormwater is not treated and anything lingering in our soil will find its way into the creeks, the Bay, and the ocean. Even very small amounts of pesticides can be lethal to marine life, birds, and other life forms.

That’s why it’s so important to limit pesticide use as much as possible and implement Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques when dealing with weeds. IPM is a strategy that emphasizes less-toxic pest management methods that address the root cause rather than symptoms of pest problems.

*Allowing native plants to grow in your garden can attract beneficial pollinators.*

Know What’s Growing In Your Garden

The first step in dealing with weeds safely is to know how to identify them. Weeds can be hard to identify, and as a result they often all end up being treated the same. It’s easy to forget that while weeds may be annoying, they are just plants growing in the wrong spot. They’re not always harmful in gardens, and may even be beneficial. Some so-called weeds attract pollinators and introduce nutrients into the soil. If you have specific questions about identifying a weed or coming up with a management plan, you can ask a Master Gardener by sending them an email here.

On the other hand, some weeds are invasive species that can be detrimental to gardens we spent lots of time building as well as to native wildlife. Check out the California Invasive Plant Council for resources to identify invasive plants.

*Pulling weeds by hand can be incredibly effective, either by hand or with the help of tools.*

Controlling Weeds

Once you’ve determined that a plant is a harmful weed, decide on the least toxic way to get rid of it. Fortunately, there are ways to treat pesky weeds without the use of toxic chemicals. They include:

Utilizing mulch: Weeds have a harder time growing through mulch and the ones that do are often easy to pull! Mulch also helps keep the soil underneath moist, so you can reduce the amount of times it needs to be watered.
Hand pulling: Weeds can be easy to pull by hand, or with the help of tools, when they’re still young and the soil is wet.
Sprouting new life: You can help your yard by using ground cover which makes it harder for weeds to grow. After pulling a weed from your lawn, sprinkle some grass seeds over the spot to encourage grass to grow back there.
Mowing: Mowing before weeds have the chance to grow helps to keep them more manageable.
Take care of your soil: Many common weeds grow in dry soil, compact soil, or poorly draining soil. Identifying the weeds in your garden and what kind of soil conditions are encouraging their growth is the first step in deciding how to amend your soil to discourage those weeds.

Learn more about eco-friendly weed management here.

Interested in Learning More?

If you’re looking for more weed identification tips and eco-friendly tips for weed control check out this recording of our Spring Blooming: Eco-Friendly Weed Management webinar!

By using specially designed vegetated areas, rain gardens are a great way to capture and manage rainwater flowing from buildings and other hard surfaces before it goes untreated and unused down the storm drain. Schools are fantastic opportunities to incorporate rain gardens and other greening features as a way of reducing flow and water quality issues related to rainwater in an urban environment, while also providing significant environmental, learning, and mental health benefits for students and teachers.

The City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County (C/CAG), which is home to the San Mateo Countywide Pollution Prevention Program, funded and partnered with Ravenswood School District and Belle Haven Elementary School in Menlo Park to install a rain garden on the Belle Haven campus. The first time effort was created to help advance schoolyard greening and eco-literacy programs in the county, featuring pollution prevention as part of its overall approach to managing stormwater runoff more sustainably and using rainwater as a resource rather than a waste.

The installation project took place over the course of three days (December 17-19). The rain garden planning and installation were spearheaded by Kevin Perry, principal of Urban Rain Design and C/CAG consultant with the support and help of UC Davis students, teachers, and local community volunteers. Community partner, Lyngso Garden Materials in Redwood City, donated landscape materials that helped make this project a success. The result was a newly planted rain garden featuring California native plants which we hope will help reduce urban heat island impacts, prevent small-scale flooding on campus, invite a diversity of beneficial flora and fauna, and become an outdoor classroom to support resilient learning.

In addition to this rain garden project, C/CAG will also be installing rain barrels at four different schools throughout the county before June 30, 2022, and looks forward to being able to continue supporting schoolyard greening projects like these in the future. Learn more about schoolyard greening and the Climate Ready Schools Partnership here.

Community volunteers lend a hand in the planting and mulching of the new garden

On Saturday, November 13, 2021, Flows To Bay held an event to distribute 330 USA-made, 50-gallon rain barrels purchased during its pilot program to San Mateo County residents. Residents from 18 of the county’s 20 cities and towns and unincorporated areas, picked up their barrels at the City of San Mateo Public Works facility located at 1949 Pacific Blvd, San Mateo, CA.

Members from the City of San Mateo Public Works team helped load barrels into resident’s vehicles

Launched in late September as an effective water capture and conservation strategy against California’s ongoing drought condition, rain barrels for this program sold out in just four weeks. By capturing rainwater during the upcoming wet winter months, rain barrels help cut back potable water used for irrigation and can help mitigate future drought conditions by providing storage for drier months. Captured rainwater is ideal for outdoor use, but can also be used to offset some indoor water use, such as taking care of houseplants.

“This program aimed to educate residents about the water conservation and pollution prevention aspects of rain while providing an easy and affordable way to take action. The countywide rain barrel rebate funded by the City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County and agency partners coupled with this rain barrel program is just one way that we hope to underscore just how valuable water is as a resource. Clean water, a healthy community—it’s truly a team effort!”
Reid Bogert, C/CAG Stormwater Program Specialist

Beyond water conservation, capturing rainwater also improves the water quality of our local creeks, the San Francisco Bay, and the Pacific Ocean. Rainfall funnels into streets, collecting urban pollutants from all surfaces, including roofs. These pollutants then flow into storm drains and nearby waterways without treatment. Runoff is the number one source of pollution in our waterways nationwide. Rain barrels help reduce the number of pollutants that reach our waterways.

Residents stayed in their vehicles as they were checked in and had barrels loaded.

Just how much of an impact did this program have?

At 50-gallon capacity a piece, the purchased rain barrels from this program would collectively capture up to 16,500 gallons of water each time the barrels are filled—which would only require an eighth of an inch of rain falling on a 500 square foot roof area. After just one inch of rain, perhaps over a couple of weeks to allow refilling, these rain barrels could capture as much as 132,000 gallons!

The initial goal for this program was to get 100 rain barrels sold, but the program maxed out the available inventory with over triple that amount. Flows To Bay is also working on a solution to provide the almost 200 San Mateo County residents on the current waitlist with the same great offer, once inventory is available and a new host site is selected. Residents interested in signing up for the waitlist may do so at flowstobay.org/waitlist.

“This is exactly the kind of engagement and community support we are seeking to provide through the Countywide Stormwater Program and our longstanding partnership with BAWSCA on the Rain Barrel Rebate Program. As seen through the tremendous interest in and enthusiastic turnout for this unique pre-order rain barrel campaign event, our residents are thirsty for ways to improve their sustainable use of water, help protect the environment, and buffer the effects of climate change, locally and beyond. We’re thrilled with the results of this pilot campaign, and look forward to expanding it in future years.”

Marie Chuang, Chair of the C/CAG Board of Directors and Councilmember, Town of Hillsborough

Residents may still take advantage of the rain barrel rebate program with any qualifying rain barrel purchase. To learn more visit flowstobay.org/rainbarrel.

In 1999, surfers in San Mateo County saw their beloved beaches threatened by environmental pollution and degradation. They took action and came together to form a local chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, Surfrider San Mateo County (Surfrider SMC), which engages the community in protecting our oceans and advocates for solutions.

Now, 22 years later, the organization includes “local surfers, paddle boarders, kayakers, marine biologists tide-poolers, and basically people who love the ocean,” says Britt Bensen, Vice Chair of Surfrider SMC. The organization is one of more than 80 Surfrider Foundation chapters across the country, which form a network of over 1 million supporters and volunteers.

“Surfrider SMC is an all-volunteer group committed to protecting the more than 50 miles of San Mateo County coastline in between San Francisco and Santa Cruz counties.”
— Britt Bensen

Surfrider SMC protects our oceans in many ways: through youth education, monitoring water pollution, partnering with local businesses to reduce single-use plastics, and engaging the public in beach cleanups. Through their organized beach cleanups, they have kept thousands of pounds of trash out of the ocean.

Protecting the ocean isn’t just about the environment—it’s also about people. Surfrider SMC sees access to safe and clean beaches as an equity issue. “We have learned the incredible value of open, outdoor space with COVID and the unfortunate wildfires and the corresponding smoke over recent years,” says Bensen. “We hope our efforts have made our coastline accessible to all.”

Blue Water Task Force

Just one of Surfrider SMC’s many programs is the Blue Water Task Force. They measure bacteria levels at beaches and in coastal creeks, then compare them to federal water quality standards. This allows them to alert the public of any health risks and to raise awareness about water pollution issues.

“We currently test 6 sites along the Pacific Ocean every week and publish results on our social media accounts,” says Bensen.

If you are interested in getting involved the Blue Task Force, attend the next Surfrider SMC chapter meeting or social.

Coastal Cleanup Day and How to Help

One way that you can get involved and help Surfrider SMC keep pollution out of our waterways and ocean is to get involved in Coastal Cleanup Day. On Saturday, September 18 from 9:00 a.m. to noon this year, you can join a global community of people helping to keep trash out of the ocean.

Here in San Mateo County, there are over 50 cleanup events to join. Surfrider SMC is holding a beach cleanup for Coastal Cleanup Day at Poplar Beach from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. on September 18.

For more information and any updates, please visit Surfrider San Mateo’s website.

Other Ways to Get Involved

“As we’re all volunteers, we’re 100% dependent on neighbors all over San Mateo County dedicating whatever time they have to our programs and campaigns.”
— Britt Bensen

Apart from Coastal Cleanup Day, there are many ways to get involved with Surfrider SMC throughout the year.

Beach Cleanups: Visit Surfrider SMC’s event calendar to find additional beach cleanups to join throughout the year.
Take On a Volunteer Role: If you want to get more involved, you can take on a leadership or support position in event planning, communications, volunteer recruitment, and more. Contact chair@smc.surfrider.org if you’re interested!
Follow: You can stay up to date with Surfrider SMC by following them on Facebook or Instagram @surfridersanmateo. You can also email communications@smc.surfrider.org to be added to their newsletter mailing list.
Listen: Listen to Surfrider California’s podcast “Protect & Enjoy” on your preferred podcast platform.

Living in San Mateo County you might hear the phrase “king tide” mentioned, but do you know what it actually means? A topic of curiosity by beach-goers and scientists alike, king tides are interesting marine phenomena, opportunities for exploration, and time machines all wrapped up in one 6-hour event.

What is a King Tide?

King tides are exceptionally high tides that occur a few times each year. They happen when the moon is both as close as it can get to earth and in line with the sun. On those special days, when the gravity of the moon and sun act on the earth in a single direction, we see the ocean rise to its highest highs and lowest lows.

Keep an eye out for king tides hitting your area on the following dates:

November 15-16, 2020
December 13-15, 2020
January 11-12, 2021 (North of Point Conception only)

When, Where & How High?

Find out what time, location, and how high King Tides will be near you using the map below.

Why do they matter?

What comes in, must go out! While king tides are mostly known for their capacity to flood our coastal communities and mimic future climate change and sea-level rise problems, their corresponding low tides are a great time to explore tide pools. During the last king tide on February 8-9, residents of San Mateo County flocked to the coast. Hopefully, they all had good tidepool etiquette and carefully kept the exposed animals and ecosystem safe.

But the value of king tides doesn’t stop there! As the Exploratorium’s Lori Lambertson points out, “Today’s king tides are tomorrow’s regular high tides.” King tides help us visualize what the coastline may look like in the future of global climate change. As greenhouse gas emissions warm our planet and climate systems become destabilized, we’re on course to potentially face dramatically higher sea levels and more frequent storm surges. King tides help us see how our communities will be affected by these rising seas and more frequent storms.

In light of the window that king tides give us into a future with higher seas, the California Coastal Commission has created a project to help document how these changes may impact different parts of the coast.

If you have photos from the last king tide or take any during the next king tides (November 15-16, December 13-15, and January 11-12), you can submit them to the California King Tides Project and they’ll be added to the map below. Since 2010, the California King Tides Project has collected over 3,000 photo submissions highlighting the effects of king tides on local coastlines. With the help of residents like you, we can gather valuable information that will help us prepare our communities for the future. The County of San Mateo’s Office of Sustainability is also doing a lot of work to better understand the future of sea-level rise in our area and what local municipalities can do to plan for a future of change. Click here to learn more about these local climate change efforts.

Do you have questions about what Flows To Bay is doing to adapt to the precipitation-related impacts of climate change in San Mateo County? We’re here for you! Contact us here.

Coastal Cleanup Day is typically an annual waterway and land cleanup held on the third Saturday of every September. Due to the pandemic this year, rather than meeting up at public events throughout the state on a single date, cleanups will happen every Saturday throughout the month. (If Saturdays don’t work for you, don’t let that stop you! Clean up during any day and time that works for you.)

Cleanups will be self-guided and close to home. Local parks, shores, creeks, streets, sidewalks, drainage areas, natural areas, and trails are good choices. Participants must wear face coverings, practice physical distancing, and must strictly follow both local ordinances. Safety first!

Although the cleanup model will be different in 2020, it will still be an effective, educational, community-building event. Trash within our neighborhoods will become the trash polluting our waterways once the rains come. We need your help to record your participation, and your diligence to collect data on all litter you remove, upstream or down.

San Mateo County Environmental Health Services coordinates the event in partnership with the California Coastal Commission, the Ocean Conservancy, and many Statewide and local partners.

Volunteers should visit smchealth.org/ccd and register with a team and learn all the details.

2019 Coastal Cleanup Day Results

5,245 volunteers participated in the event.
35,111 lbs of trash and recyclables were picked up.
106 miles of San Mateo County was canvassed by volunteers looking for litter.
For more information on Statewide results, click here.

Sunset shining a pastel hue on the ocean; coastline with grass and a white lighthouse; pink clouds — *Pescadero*

Thank you to everyone who came out and participated in Coastal Cleanup Day 2019 to help protect our bay and ocean from litter pollution. The State is a much cleaner and healthier place because of all your work.

In partnership with the San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE) and their San Mateo Environmental Learning Collaborative (SMELC), Flows To Bay is supporting the Sustainable Watersheds teacher fellowship.

(SMELC) is a series of paid teacher fellowships that build teacher capacity for designing and delivering learning experiences that are student centered, problem-project-based, solutions-oriented, and integrate real-world environmental justice issues.

The Sustainable Watersheds fellowship (just one of 6 topics being offered) starts with a 4-day Summer Institute from August 3 – 6, 2020. This professional learning intensive centers around building knowledge and skills, and designing Solutionary Units of Study through hands-on activities and workshops.

After the Summer Institute, teachers are provided ongoing support for planning and implementation through coaching, content knowledge development, and collaboration throughout the fall school semester. The fellowship culminates with a capstone event where fellows share their piloted unit of study and findings with one another.

San Mateo County teachers who complete the 6-month fellowship program are awarded a $500 stipend funded by Flows To Bay. Teachers from any grade level from K-12 in all subject areas are invited to apply today.

SMELC 2020-21 Cohorts run from Summer 2020 to February 2021 and applications are due by June 1, 2020. Click here to apply today or learn more about this program and other available topics on the SMELC website.

What is a King Tide?

King tides are exceptionally high tides that occur a few times each year. They happen when the moon is both as close as it can get to earth and in line with the sun (refer to the illustration below). On those special days, when the gravity of the moon and sun act on the earth in a single direction, we see the ocean rise to its highest highs and lowest lows.

Why do they matter?

What comes in, must go out! While king tides are mostly known for their capacity to flood our coastal communities and mimic future climate change and sea-level rise problems, their corresponding low tides are a great time to explore tide pools. During the last king tide on January 10-12, residents of San Mateo County flocked to the coast. Hopefully, they all had good tidepool etiquette and carefully kept the exposed animals and ecosystem safe.

But the value of king tides doesn’t stop there! As the Exploratorium’s Lori Lambertson points out, “Today’s king tides are tomorrow’s regular high tides.” King tides help us visualize what the coastline may look like in the future of global climate change. As greenhouse gas emissions warm our planet and climate systems become destabilized, we’re on course to face potentially dramatically higher sea levels and more frequent storm surges. King tides help us see how our communities will be affected by these rising seas and more frequent storms.

If you have photos from the last king tide or take any during the one on February 8-9, you can submit them to the California King Tides Project and they’ll be added to the map below. With the help of residents like you, we can gather valuable information that will help us prepare our communities for the future. The County of San Mateo’s Office of Sustainability is also doing a lot of work to better understand the future of sea-level rise in our area and what local municipalities can do to plan for a future of change. Click here to learn more about these local climate change efforts.

Do you have questions about what Flows To Bay is doing to adapt to the precipitation related impacts of climate change in San Mateo County? We’re here for you! Contact us here.