Trabuco Canyon Takes Part In H2OC Program

TRABUCO CANYON, CA — From San Juan Creek watershed of Rancho Santa Margarita, to the Coyote Creek watershed of Seal Beach, and all points in between, the H2OC initiative is a cooperative storm water program across Orange County.

Cities of Aliso Viejo, Dana Point, Fountain valley, Laguna Beach, Laguna Niguel, Lake Forest, Los Alamitos, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, Rancho Santa Margarita, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Seal Beach and unincorporated OC--as well as all points in between--are working together to protect and celebrate our water resources.

According to the group, rainy season in Orange County starts in October and goes through May. Things residents can do to "catch" runoff before it heads to the ocean are:

• Install a rain barrel to capture rain--rebates may apply, if you buy one!
• Mulch to bare soil around your home, which traps water and allows it to absorb slowly into the ground, reducing runoff.
• Add a rain garden to your landscape to harnesses rainwater and water plants at the same time.

"Rain gardens can be any size to beautify your outdoor living space. Before modifying your yard to install a rain garden, please consult your local building and/or planning departments to ensure your garden plan follows relevant building codes and ordinances," the H2OC site said.

Interested in seeing how your watershed works? Here is a map of all Orange County watersheds, thanks to H2OC.

To report pollution, please either visit myOCeServices.ocgov.com to submit a Service Request under Water Pollution, or call the 24-Hour pollution reporting hotline at 1-877-89-SPILL (77455).

For more information on how you can be part of the solution, visit: h2oc.org

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