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Storm Water Management Program: Coastal Water Pollution Prevention Treatment Controls

Learn about treatment controls UC San Diego has implemented to prevent coastal water pollution.

Area of Special Biological Significance

The La Jolla Shores marine environment is designated by the State Water Resources Control Board as an Area of Special Biological Significance (ASBS) and Critical Coastal Area (CCA).

It is considered to be among the most valuable coastal waters in the state. This coastal environment supports an abundant variety of plants and animals and attracts researchers, local beachgoers, surfers, divers, and tourists from around the world.

How UC San Diego protects it

To protect the ASBS, UC San Diego partnered with the City of San Diego, San Diego Coastkeeper, and the State Water Resources Control Board to develop and implement the La Jolla Shores Coastal Watershed Management program to reduce or prevent pollutants associated with urban runoff from going into the ocean.

As part of this program, UC San Diego installed innovative storm water treatment controls at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and throughout the main campus to prevent dry weather flow discharges (e.g., irrigation runoff and wash water) from reaching the ocean and remove pollutants from storm water runoff.

Treatment controls 

View the extensive inventory of treatment controls in place at UC San Diego:

For more information, contact EH&S Environmental Affairs.