LA County Clean Water Clean Beaches Measure

School Rainwater Harvesting Project Yields Multiple Benefits

ABC News: Los Angeles's Open Magnet Charter School makes use of the rain that falls on roofs and the playground by storing the water in an underground cistern. This ancient technology, updated for the modern age, allows the school to water landscaping during dry periods, and has drastically cut its water bill. 

The cistern system captures sediment, oil, gasoline, animal waste and trash that rain picks up when it hits the ground. This pollution would otherwise flow directly into waterways and the ocean, as it does across most of Los Angeles County.

KCET: What is a Watershed, Anyway?

While interviewing experts and activists working in and around the river, I began to understand one little known truth that undergirds their work: that we all live by the water.

LA Times: EPA strengthens water quality guidelines for beaches

States can decide whether to adopt the new standards, issued to protect people swimming, surfing and boating in coastal waters.

Arbor Day Foundation: Trees Tame Stormwater—Interactive Poster

Interactive poster shows the difference between a water system with few trees, and one with abundant trees. Click on numbers on the poster to learn about specific impacts.

KQED: Climate Change Could Shrink Sierra Snowpack Dramatically

One of California's biggest sources of fresh water is in peril. A new study in the journal Nature Climate Change shows the Sierra snowpack shrinking substantially in the years to come.

SF Chronicle: San Jose's Coyote Creek tops list of dirty waterways

Coyote Creek, along with four other local waterways, was singled out in Save the Bay's sixth annual study of garbage, pollution and San Francisco Bay. 

Belmont Shore Patch: Colorado Lagoon Celebrates Grand Re-Opening

The Colorado Lagoon has reopened to the public after a dredging project to remove 63,000 cubic yards of contaminated mud closed its fences several months ago.

Environmental News Service: EPA Asked to Set National Marine Plastic Debris Standard

The petition seeks to curb plastic pollution that kills and injures hundreds of thousands of seabirds as well as many endangered sea turtles and monk seals every year.

Watershed Steward

The power of one person is demonstrated by Lenny Arkinstall's efforts to clean up an entire wetlands in Long Beach. Over 10 years, Lenny has removed hundreds of tons of debris that otherwise would have flowed into the ocean.

KCET: Groundwater Project Begins in Panorama

The project retrofits medians with native vegetation that will help recharge groundwater, alleviate flooding, and augment water supplies by 1.5 million gallons per average storm.

SCCWRP: Dry-Weather and Stormwater Runoff

Since 2000, the Southern California Coastal Water Research Project has been researching California watersheds to better characterize runoff and associated pollutant loading.

The California Report: Paddling Down the Los Angeles River

Historically, the Los Angeles River hasn't been used for recreation--in fact, boating was prohibited until recently. Now environmentalists are leading kayak tours.

KQED: How Many Watts Did You Drink Today?

Water and electricity don't mix!" As wise as that admonition is from a safety perspective, here's the twist: Not only do they mix, but here in California we wouldn't have one without the other. Here's why.

The California Report: Water Needs Power

Here in California we're constantly prodded to save energy -- and to save water, too. But what if we told you that by saving one, you can save both? That's because water and power are inextricably bound together.

KQED: Is California Facing a Prolonged Drought?

New data from Fallen Leaf Lake provides new insight into California's drought history, shedding light on what we can expect in the future. 

Heal the Bay: LA County Leads State in Number of Polluted Beaches

7 out of 10 of the State’s most polluted beaches are located in LA County, according to Heal the Bay’s recently released 2012 Beach Report Card. 

LA TImes: Malibu, Environmental Groups Reach Settlement on Plan for Clean Water

The city of Malibu has agreed to continue and expand investment in reducing polluted stormwater runoff, settling the lawsuit brought by two environmental groups in 2008. 

KQED: Storms, Erosion, and Landslides in LA County

A lack of infrastructure for managing high volumes of stormwater runoff has contributed to bank erosion in LA County. The California Report explains how the resulting landslides have affected the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Listen here. 

LA Times: Water Recycling in the News!

The Inland Empire Utility Agency's water recycling efforts were profiled in a July 20th LA Times article. Click here to read the article.

County Officials Applaud EPA Decision

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will conduct a study of public health risks from bacteria and viruses that are commonly found on local beaches due to urban runoff.

Arroyo Seco Stream Restoration

Using nature to clean up water is the emphasis of the Central Arroyo Seco stream restoration project.