Posts Tagged Waterways

Clean water is a team effort and Generation Earth is helping the LA Stormwater Program’s efforts in educating our City by providing kids and teachers with the opportunity to become engaged in their local communities and schools. Generation Earth, an environmental education program of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works, organizes Water Pollution… READ MORE

If you have lived in the Los Angeles area for any amount of time, or are just a fan of ecological gems in the area, than you have likely heard of Ballona Creek and its important watershed that surrounds it. The creek may not have the same reputation as the LA River, but that doesn’t… READ MORE

The LA River is an integral part of our City. It’s one of our lifelines of sorts as it reduces flooding and carries runoff to the ocean. Yet, most of us have never actually seen the river other than driving over it on an overpass. That can now change, as a bikeway follows the majority… READ MORE

Paul Herzog works for Surfrider Foundation and is the National Coordinator for their Ocean Friendly Garden Program. The LA Stormwater Program recently caught up with Paul to discuss the program he oversees and glean a little insight on how to make our yards and gardens friendlier to our waterways. LA Stormwater: Hi Paul! Can you… READ MORE

Below are a few water pollution facts that all clean water lovers should know (and share with their friends)! #1: When it rains water runs directly into L.A.’s storm drains where the water flows into our local waterways and then the ocean. This stormwater is much different than sewer water, as it is not connected… READ MORE

by Joe Linton People often ask me what they can do to get involved in helping out Los Angeles’ rivers and creeks. Many ways to get involved have been covered here at the L.A. Stormwater Blog – some easy, some more involved. These include: using reusable grocery bags, tending to your pet’s poop, participating in… READ MORE

For nearly half a century, the North Atwater Creek has been all but forgotten. Set in the Glendale-Narrows portion of the Los Angeles River, this natural creek has become overgrown with non-native grasses and invasive exotic species such as the Mediterranean Castor oil plant. A man-made creek, the soil in its unstable banks is contaminated… READ MORE

A big change occurred in how the Federal government views the L.A. River. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson visited Southern California and announced that the river would be designated as ‘traditional navigable waters’. That may not mean much on its surface, but it certainly means a lot for those that want to see the river repaired.… READ MORE

You can’t see it but it’s there, hiding out, just waiting for you in the storm drain. It’s not a ghost or a scary monster, although it is certainly frightening. It’s bacteria. Unlike other stormwater pollutants such as oil and litter, bacteria cannot be seen with the naked eye. While most environmental microorganisms are part… READ MORE

Wicked wildfires and frightful floods are a natural and challenging part of the ecological cycle here in California. Fire is essential in Mediterranean ecosystems with certain species of native plants needing fire to guarantee their existence. All too often, however, these fires take place in the fall when the flames are fanned by fierce Santa… READ MORE