Watershed Protection
County Stormwater Program

County Government Center Ocean Friendly Garden

County Government Center

Government Center Garden

1,800 square feet of warm season grass at the County Government Center in Ventura, CA needed 18,000 gallons of water each year to remain healthy. The Green Gardens Group, along with members of the community, converted the 1,800 square feet of lawn by the main entrance to Hall of Justice into a Watershed Friendly Garden.

Watershed Frindly Gardens

Oak Park Watershed Friendly Garden
Meiners Oaks Watershed Friendly Garden
County Government Center Ocean Friendly Garden

Funded by Proposition 84 Storm Water Grant Program, Ventura County Public Works Watershed Protection offered 5-part Watershed Friendly GardenTM program at 3 locations in the County of Ventura, including Meiners Oaks Elementary School in Meiners Oaks, Oak Park High School in Oak Park, and at the County Government Center in Ventura, CA. WFGs apply conservation, permeability and retention principles to revive our urban watersheds. WFGs conserve valuable resources like water, energy, and fossil fuels through the selection of low and medium water use plants, covering soil with 3”-4” of mulch, utilizing low flow irrigation systems with weather-based controllers. WFGs are permeable and allow water to slow down, spread out and sink into the ground. WFGs are designed to retain rainfall which reduces the need for irrigation and greatly reduces the amount of pollution entering our watersheds.

Best Practices

We can reduce pollution in stormwater runoff by implementing these best practices:

  • Maintain your automobile. Regular car maintenance can reduce oil drippings and other pollutants on the road.
  • Use biodegradable products for landscaping and cleaning.
  • Keep storm drains and street gutters clear of debris.
  • Bag or mulch lawn clippings so they won't wash into nearby storm drains.
  • Clean up after your pets.
  • Store and dispose of household chemicals properly. Always use them in the way they were intended. Seal the product to prevent leakage. Take unwanted hazardous wastes to a proper disposal facility.
  • Don't treat roofs or driveways with toxic chemicals used for cleaning or moss retardation.
  • Plant native vegetation.
  • Stop or reduce your use of fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides in your yard and garden. If you do apply fertilizer and chemicals, carefully follow the application instructions found on the label.

Contact Information

County Stormwater Program

Resource links

More information about stormwater pollution prevention can be found at the following links:

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