City To Break Ground On Water Quality Project At Temescal Canyon Park In The Pacific Palisades

The City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works will begin construction of the Temescal Canyon Park Stormwater Best Management Practices (BMP) project in January 2012 and will continue through fall 2013. The nearly two-year, $8-million stormwater infrastructure enhancement will help the City of Los Angeles meet state and federal water quality guidelines by keeping urban runoff from flowing directly to Santa Monica Bay.

The Temescal Canyon Park Stormwater BMP project will take wet weather flow from the existing storm drain beneath Temescal Canyon Road and divert it through a hydrodynamic separator and into a 1.25 million gallon detention tank before discharging it into the sewer system. The project will capture a rain event’s first stormwater flush and its contaminants to help keep Santa Monica Bay clean and healthy.

City Engineer Gary Lee Moore said “The Bureau of Engineering is excited to break ground on this project that will help to improve water quality in the Santa Monica Bay. We will begin by fencing a portion of Temescal Canyon Park where the detention tank will be built. Other related work will occur later along Temescal Canyon Road and along Pacific Coast Highway to construct a stormwater diversion structure, utility enhancements, and a hydrodynamic separator that will remove trash and other contaminants from the stormwater.”

Work within Temescal Canyon Park will result in the closure of the park restrooms and the play area that will both be replaced by this project. A multi-phased traffic plan will also be implemented when construction crews begin work on Temescal Canyon Road and on Pacific Coast Highway. Traffic impacts are as follows:

On Temescal Canyon Road
• Removal of street parking on the downhill side of Temescal Canyon Road.
• Intermittent removal of street parking on the uphill side of Temescal Canyon Road.
• At least two downhill traffic lanes (towards PCH) will be maintained at all times.
• At least one uphill traffic lane will be open at all times.
• The dedicated downhill bicycle lane towards PCH will remain in place throughout the duration of the project.
• The uphill bicycle lane will be removed intermittently in short reaches.
On Pacific Coast Highway
• Existing right turn lane from Malibu-bound PCH to Temescal Canyon Road will be closed temporarily and the turning traffic will be shifted to the #3 lane. All three lanes towards Malibu will remain open except for some night time work.
• Related utility work by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power will be performed in the middle of PCH, just east of Temescal Canyon Road. The traffic plan for this portion of the work is currently being reviewed and finalized.

Motorists are reminded to take extra care, pay attention to traffic signs, and watch out for bicyclists while driving through the work area.

The Temescal Canyon Park Stormwater BMP project will complement the operations of the recently-built stormwater low flow diversion (LFD) structure at the corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Temescal Canyon Road. Currently, the LFD takes dry weather flow from the Temescal Canyon Road storm drain and diverts it to the sewer system. The combined year-round operations of the LFD and the Temescal Canyon Park structures will significantly minimize the amount of urban runoff that will flow from the stormwater outfall at Will Rogers State Beach directly to the ocean.

The project is one of more than 30 projects funded by the Proposition O Clean Water Bond approved by voters in 2004. The measure funds stormwater infrastructure developments and enhancements that will help the City of Los Angeles comply with mandates from the water quality agencies like the California Coastal Commission and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Enrique Zaldivar, director of the City’s Bureau of Sanitation that is responsible for ensuring that Los Angeles complies with clean water standards said, “When Los Angeles voters approved Proposition O in 2004, they reaffirmed their commitment to the environment, and supported our objectives to protect our rivers, lakes, and the ocean.” He added, “Angelenos understand that as a coastal city, we need to come together to keep our waterways clean and surfer-friendly; minimize if not eliminate beach closures; and protect our marine life. This project will help us get there.”