Orange County, California, with its diverse watersheds and pristine coastline, faced the challenge of maintaining its natural beauty amidst environmental threats. Volunteer watershed cleanup events, while impactful, required enhanced coordination and data management for greater effectiveness. The OC Watersheds Division of OC Public Works partnered with GIS Cloud to implement a digital solution that streamlined volunteer efforts and facilitated real-time data analysis.

The GIS Cloud platform enabled the creation of custom forms through the Mobile Data Collection app, allowing volunteers to log data on trash types, locations, and quantities directly from the field. The Map Editor was used to define specific cleanup zones and display real-time progress, empowering organizers to monitor efforts and optimize resources dynamically. This user-friendly solution required no GIS expertise, ensuring smooth adoption by volunteers and staff alike.

Through this initiative, Orange County achieved better tracking of trash accumulation, improved resource allocation for cleanup events, and fostered greater environmental stewardship among its community members.