The Riverdale Green Street Project: Ribbon Cutting & Neighborhood Celebration on 9/29

Who among us hasn’t experienced the joy of planting a seed, nurturing the seedling and proudly watching it blossom into a young tree or flowering shrub. And so it goes with ideas. An idea is planted, nurtured and supported, and in time, that idea grows into a movement that positively changes lives and neighborhoods.

The City’s Stormwater Program is undergoing a similar transformation with new ideas for how to responsibly manage rain flows at the neighborhood level. So come join us as we unveil one of these projects that embody this new vision and approach.

The Elysian Valley’s Riverdale Green Street Project will celebrate its recent completion on Wednesday, September 29 with a ribbon cutting, and you are invited!

For more information on the time and location of the event, click here for a downloadable flyer.

For decades, runoff from storms was viewed as a liability; a community danger that needed to be diverted to storm drains as quickly as possible to avoid flooding and damage. Sadly, the runoff was often times contaminated with a wide array of pollutants ranging from pet waste to trash to used motor oil, and this runoff flowed untreated through our creeks and rivers, sending a toxic stew to area beaches.

Now, in this era of mandatory water conservation and economic challenges, the idea of rethinking the management of rainwater and using that water for irrigation purposes or infiltrating it back into diminishing ground water supplies is taking root. And with that new way of thinking, came the Riverdale Avenue Green Street Project.

Following in the footsteps of Oros Green Street and Elmer Avenue Green Street, this pilot project seeks to plant the seeds for a greener LA by creating a new green street standard here in the southland.

The Riverdale Green Street Project, initiated by the City of Los Angeles and whose major funding source is the California Coastal Conservancy, utilizes stormwater parkway planters to treat and infiltrate polluted urban runoff.

Completed in early August 2010, the primary goal of this project is to create a model for a new standard of residential street design. The project retrofited the existing parkways on both sides of Riverdale Avenue, between Crystal Street and its terminus at the west side of the Los Angeles River, with infiltration units that will capture and treat stormwater runoff from 14 acres of residential land. Parkway landscaping featuring drought-tolerant natives will be planted above these buried devices.

This new way of constructing city streets and parkways will serve the dual purpose of treating contaminated urban runoff while simultaneously irrigating the parkway vegetation. Lauded by the environmental community and residents alike, this project will provide improved water quality in the Los Angeles River and, ultimately, San Pedro Bay. The City plans to monitor the quality of water flowing into the LA River from this project with the hope that it will provide a very real model in developing sustainable standards for future street design.

So join us on celebrating the Riverdale Green Street’s completion. It’s literally a road to a green future.

*Photo courtesy of LA Creek Freak

The Tale of Two Green Streets

All across America, the idea of “going green” has taken off. Everywhere people are beginning to understand that our day-to-day actions have had a cumulative impact on Earth. And, with that understanding comes the desire to reduce that effect with a greener lifestyle. “Green” has become the new gold standard for how we live our lives to ensure the future health and sustainability of our world.

It won’t be too long before the term “green streets” will join the ranks of household ideas promoting environmental consciousness. When we speak of “green streets,” some may think that we’re talking about ripping up streets and reverting back to the days of dusty country roads. Here in LA, the second largest city in the US, we’ll never be able to go back to those days of yesteryear. Instead, the term “green streets” refers to a new way of thinking, a new and sustainable way of constructing streets to promote the management of polluted stormwater runoff.

Two streets in the Elysian Valley community are paving the way towards creating a new green streets standard here in LA. Three years ago, the City of Los Angeles and community group North East Trees partnered together to build the Oros Green Street Project with funding from the California Water Quality Control Board and Proposition O, LA’s Clean Water Bond. Using cutting edge technology, this model project constructed five stormwater gardens in Oros Street’s parkway to capture and infiltrate storm water runoff. Today, this project continues to demonstrate that green streets will help Los Angeles reach its goal of reducing pollutants in our local rivers, creeks, lakes and beaches.

The Oros Green Street Project proved that stormwater management within our city streets was possible. The next project – the Riverdale Avenue Green Street Project – works towards establishing the City standard.
The Riverdale Avenue Green Street pilot project, initiated by the City of Los Angeles and whose major funding source is the California Coastal Conservancy, utilizes stormwater parkway planters to treat and infiltrate polluted urban runoff. Completed in early August 2010, the primary goal of this project is to create a model for a new standard of residential street design. The project retrofits the existing parkways on both sides of Riverdale Avenue, between Crystal Street and its terminus at the south side of the Los Angeles River, with infiltration units that will capture and treat stormwater runoff from 14 acres of residential land. Parkway landscaping featuring drought-tolerant natives will be planted above these buried devices.

This new way of constructing city streets and parkways will serve the dual purpose of treating contaminated urban runoff and simultaneously irrigate the parkway vegetation. Lauded by the environmental community and residents alike, this project will provide improved water quality in the Los Angeles River and, ultimately, San Pedro Bay. The City plans to monitor the quality of water flowing into the LA River from this project with the hope that this demonstration project will provide a very real model in developing sustainable standards for future street design.

Since the beginning of time, roads have provided humanity with a means to get to a new destination. It’s appropriate then that green streets are providing Angelenos with cleaner communities and water ways – paving the way towards a more sustainable future for all of Los Angeles.

*Riverdale Ave. photo courtesy of LA Creek Freak

Countdown to California Coastal Cleanup Day!

On Saturday September 25, 2010 the 26th Annual Coastal Cleanup Day will be held across California. Last year’s turn out for the largest marine environment event in the country was enormous here in the Golden State. Over 80,600 great volunteers collected over 1.3 million pounds of trash and recyclables.

This year promises to be just as successful!

California Coastal Cleanup Day is made possible by the California Coastal Commission's Adopt-A-Beach program. From 9 a.m. to Noon this coming Saturday, volunteers will be congregating at over 50 locations in LA County alone. And it’s not too late to join in the cause to pick up unwanted litter before it makes its way into our waterways!

Heal the Bay along with the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors are the LA County coordinators for the cleanup events. Check out Heal the Bay’s webpage to find a location near you and help make 2010 as successful as 2009.

The ocean will thank you!

Stormwater Partner Earns Pioneer Woman of the Year!

The City of Los Angeles Stormwater Program would not be successful if it weren’t for our gracious, committed partners. Our work’s outcome is enhanced due to the amount of talent and knowledge we are privileged to work with every single day.

That’s why we are pleased to announce that Sherri Akers, a community environmental advocate and supporter of the Stormwater Program who lives in Mar Vista, was recently awarded the 2010 Pioneer Woman of the Year in Council District 11 by Los Angeles City Councilman Bill Rosendahl.

“I am truly honored to accept this award as it recognizes that each of us can make a difference. I feel very lucky to be part of a community that is dedicated to public service and shares my passion for conservation and environmental change,” said Akers after she received the award. “We have the perfect ingredients n strong civic support from Councilman Rosendahl, the Mar Vista Community Council and an engaged community with an environmental focus. It’s exciting to see our efforts seeding action in other communities.”

To read more about Sherri’s great work and the award she worked so hard to earn, please check out this great piece in The Argonaut.

The Stormwater Program congratulates you Sherri Akers!

Third Ballona Creek Watershed Meeting Scheduled for Tuesday, September 21st

The City of Los Angeles Stormwater Program, on behalf of the Ballona Creek watershed, invites you to participate in the third workshop for the development of Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL) Implementation Plans for the Ballona Creek watershed on Tuesday, September 21st.

The two previous workshops discussed the identification and prioritization of pollutant hotspots and opportunities for water quality improvement projects in the Ballona Creek watershed. With your great input, this resulted in two Implementation Plans for the Ballona Creek Bacteria and Metals TMDLs. The third workshop will be dedicated to the development of the third Implementation Plan for the Ballona Estuary Toxics TMDL.

The workshop topics will include:

•Multi-pollutant and sustainable, green approach to water quality improvement and TMDL compliance

• Proposed distributed and regional projects for implementation in the Ballona Creek watershed

• Results of Toxicity Identification Evaluation special study

• Proposed strategy to address the specific requirements of the Ballona Estuary Toxics TMDL

In addition, Stormwater Program staff will present preliminary concepts of several stormwater projects identified in the Implementation Plans.

We look forward to meeting with you at this workshop!

When: September 21, 2010 from 10:00am to 11:30 am

Where: Hyperion Treatment Plant, Conference Room 116
12000 Vista Del Mar, Playa Del Rey, CA, 90293

For more information and to RSVP, please contact Ida Meisami at Ida.Meisami.Fard@lacity.org or (213) 485-3999 with your name and the names of any additional guests.

*Photo courtesy of Ballona News

Sun Valley Stormwater Tour Wants You!

Want to check out some of the area’s most advanced stormwater projects?

This month you are invited to come out to Sun Valley where the City of LA Department of Public Works and the Prop O Citizens Advisory Committee will take you on a tour of three fantastic sites (Strathern Wetlands Park, the Sun Valley Multi-Use Facility and Elmer Avenue Green Street).

Please RSVP by September 10th. For more information, please email BPW.PAO@lacity.org, or call (213) 978-0333.

When: Sept. 15, Wednesday, 10 a.m.

Where: Sun Valley Recreation Center, 8133 Vineland Ave., Sun Valley

Monthly Events: Kick-start Fall with a Little Community Building!

What better way to welcome the change in seasons than with a volunteer or community event this month? If you didn’t have a chance to lend a hand for the environment this past summer, it’s not too late to jump right in to help green L.A. this fall. And if you did volunteer, we’re sure you are all rested up and ready to go again! Here’s a taste of what’s in store for September!

>On Saturday, September 4th, come on out to Santa Monica where Surfrider will be hosting a beach clean up. Some fun in the sun is always great, just be sure to bring that sunscreen!

>Saturday, September 11th is packed full of green goodness. Two tree care projects spearheaded by TreePeople will be taking place in Altadena and El Monte. There will also be a fabulously fun Environmentalist rendezvous including a picnic and film in Pasadena.

>It’s not exactly a volunteer event, but that’s okay, it’s still great for the community. On Sunday, September 12th LA Streets Blog will be closing down streets in L.A. for a cool street fair. Bring bikes, skateboards or just your walking shoes. No cars allowed!

>Do you like the famous Santa Monica Pier? How about pets? Well, there will be a great pet festival hosted by Best Friends on Sunday, September 19th, at the Santa Monica Pier. The event is being held to help raise awareness for homeless pets in our area.

>On September 19th, there will also be a cool street tree care event in Mid City organized by TreePeople, that is sure to be a hit! You won't want to miss it.

>On Tuesday, September 21 the cities that make up the Ballona Creek watershed are holding a workshop with the City of L.A. at Hyperion Water Treatment to educate the public about cool stuff like water pollution and sustainable, green approaches to water quality improvements. You should come on out!

>Saturday, September 25 will be a fun one. It is Coastal Clean Up Day! Do you know what that means? Well, we’ll tell you. Heal the Bay will be coordinating over 50 cleanup locations throughout L.A. County! Yep, that’s a lot and there is sure to be one near you.

>Check out all of September’s events that aid stormwater by visiting our calendar at http://www.calendarwiz.com/calendars/calendar.php.

And if you have any upcoming events, please send them on over to us and we will be happy to include them in our community calendar.

*Photo courtesy of Heal the Bay