Goldentop Road Water Quality Improvement
Project
Water Quality & Trash Capture | Completed December 2025
Located entirely underground, this project removes trash and other pollutants from stormwater and returns cleaner water to local waterways.
Stormwater is cleaned through a trash capture and filtration system,
then returned to the storm drain and flows to Artesian Creek.
Project Details
This project is located in the San Dieguito Watershed.
The San Dieguito Watershed is affected by bacteria. Learn more on Project Clean Water.
147 gallons of trash removed per year
An underground trash capture device remoes trash and debris before they enter local waterways.
Project Photos
The footprint of this project is small, but the impact reaches all the way to the Pacific Ocean.
The cleaned water discharges to nearby Artesian Creek, a tributary of the San Dieguito Watershed.
.png "AwardWinning")
This project has won multiple awards, including:
- 2026 ASCE San Diego Chapter Outstanding Small Project Award
- 2026 APWA San Diego and Imperial Counties Chapter Project of the Year, Environment Cateogry for Projects less that $2 Million
Upcoming Events:
This project is complete and has no upcoming events.
Learn More:
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The County of San Diego is proud to implement projects like this to improve water quality, support sustainability, and enhance our local communities.
Goldentop Road Water Quality Improvement Project
Total Cost: $2.1M | Completed December 2025
Located in the San Dieguito Watershed, this project improves water quality in Artesian Creek and the San Dieguito River by removing trash and pollutants from stormwater runoff.
Learn how you can limit your watershed impact with our Educational Resources.
Learn more about the San Dieguito Watershed on Project Clean Water.
Underground devices remove trash and pollutants before discharging water back into Artesian Creek
A trash capture device works underground to remove approximately 1,000 gallons of trash from entering local waterways per year.
An underground biofiltration system works to remove pollutants, particularly bacteria, from stormwater runoff.
The result is cleaner water discharged back into Artesian Creek, a tributary of the San Dieguito River.
The County of San Diego is proud to implement projects like this to improve water quality, support sustainability, and enhance our local communities.
Learn about our Other Green Infrastructure Projects
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Visit our Watershed Protection Program Home Page
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