Ventura, California's 2023 winter storm activity underscored the impact that runoff has on recreational water quality and public health. To examine public perception of stormwater runoff, coastal water quality, and community decision-making toward recreating in polluted water, an online survey of the Ventura River watershed community determined local residents' understanding of watershed knowledge, or geoliteracy, health and well-being, and social responsibility. Administered through Qualtrics XM Software® "via" direct weblink, the survey was available on public online social media platforms and distributed to public high school Earth Science students. Analysis of participants' (N = 143) responses and their self-reported water activity, water activity frequency, and perceptions of Ventura River's discharge and stormwater runoff revealed the community's behavior regarding exposure to hazardous water quality and, ultimately, the survey participants' level of geoliteracy concerning their local watershed. A statistical analysis between categorical variables of survey questions found that most survey participants regularly enjoy recreational water activities. However, a person's awareness of the impacts on water quality from urban stormwater runoff (geoliteracy) does not necessarily indicate that they will wait longer to recreate in polluted water. A majority (88.2%) would avoid polluted water whether or not they had experienced waterborne illness, though individuals who reported a waterborne illness were not more likely to avoid stormwater-impacted water. However, participants who understand that urban runoff leads to poor water quality exhibited greater social responsibility. Our results indicate that Ventura Watershed's community geoliteracy can be improved, with more research needed to determine community awareness of local environmental issues.