The Watershed Restoration Program is a cooperative partnership between the Upper Water and the U.S. Forest Service that incorporates volunteers into efforts to protect and maintain the local watershed. Program activities typically include collection of native seeds, planting of saplings and trash removal.

From 1991 to today, the Watershed Restoration Program remains as Upper Water’s first and longest running conservation program. The program has been successful in helping maintain a healthy watershed and reduce negative impacts affecting our local groundwater. Every year since its inception, Upper Water has partnered with the U.S.D.A. Forest Service. With their help and continuous support, Upper Water has been able to grow its program, reach more student volunteers and plant over 100,000 native trees up in the San Gabriel River Watershed. Since 80% of our water supply comes from the watershed, finding ways to protect the sustainability of our local landscape is of the utmost importance to Upper Water.

When snow begins to melt or rain falls, instead of percolating into the ground and making its way into our groundwater, the water is more likely to runoff and simply wash away more layers of soil, causing further erosion. Erosion increases siltation in the local mountain reservoirs, which reduces the water conservation and storage capacity of the reservoirs as well as the percolation capacity of streambeds and spreading grounds. This is where volunteers come in!

Volunteers of all ages are encouraged to participate in the Watershed Restoration events, and the opportunity to earn community service hours is an incentive for many local youth to take part in the activity. The events give families an opportunity to spend time together while doing something positive and fun for the environment. Upper Water’s watershed restoration events are typically held four times a year: twice in the Fall and twice in the Spring.