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Edward Belden Water Programs Manager Ph: (213)-229-9947 Fax: (213)-229-9952 E-mail: edward@lasgrwc.org |
![]() OVERVIEW The Water Augmentation Study is a long-term research project led by the Los Angeles and San Gabriel Rivers Watershed Council, to explore the potential for increasing local water supplies and reducing urban runoff pollution by increasing infiltration of stormwater runoff. The project was initiated in January 2000, as a result of a number of concerns: 1. Impacts of urbanization on the LA region and the resulting increase in runoff over time. Runoff volumes have increased tenfold over the past 75 years. 2. Impacts of runoff-transported pollutants on rivers, coastal waters and beaches. 3. Interest in utilizing this “wasted” resource as a potential addition to local water supplies, in order to reduce reliance on declining supplies of imported water. 4. Uncertainty surrounding the impacts of capturing polluted stormwater for infiltration, in terms of both groundwater quality and quantity. The Los Angeles basin relies on imported water for two-thirds of its water supply – sources which are becoming increasingly restricted. Opportunities for additional surface water storage are limited in the developed LA basin, but the groundwater aquifers have much unused capacity. If the questions surrounding the feasibility of utilizing stormwater runoff for groundwater recharge could be resolved, the result may be greater self-sufficiency for the Los Angeles Basin in terms of water supply reliability. The Watershed Council has forged a unique partnership between local water, public works, and wastewater agencies, the State of California , and the US Bureau of Reclamation to more fully evaluate capacity and feasibility of new stormwater management practices through infiltration, and whether these can be achieved without impacting groundwater quality. At the same time, we will be evaluating the benefits of enhancing environmental health, increasing green space in our neighborhoods, providing jobs, and increasing our water supply reliability. |
STUDY APPROACH The Water Augmentation Study is planned for three phases. The Phase 1 Pilot Study completed in 2002 began an investigation of the groundwater quality ramifications of infiltrating stormwater, by monitoring water quality at two sites in the Los Angeles area. Phase 2, just completed, expanded the study by adding four new sites and monitoring surface and groundwater quality at all six locations through 2005. The monitoring program was structured to assess infiltration characteristics and water quality ramifications of different land use, soils, and types of Best Management Practices for infiltration. Phase 3 of our study will take a closer look at the viability of region-wide infiltration in terms of potential quantity, physical constraints, social and institutional issues, and will compare the costs of developing this water supply relative to other possible sources. Phase 3 will also incorporate demonstration projects on a neighborhood scale, to show how existing infrastructure can be retrofit to locally manage stormwater and incorporate a variety of other sustainable watershed management practices. The overall goal of Phase 3 will be to develop a regional strategy for developing this potentially significant new source of water for Southern California . ![]() PARTNERS • City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power • City of Los Angeles Watershed Protection Division • City of Santa Monica Environmental Programs Division • County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works • LA Regional Water Quality Control Board • Metropolitan Water District of Southern California • TreePeople • UC Riverside • United States Bureau of Reclamation • Water Replenishment District of Southern California • Grant funding: CALFED and SWRCB Prop 13 |
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| PUBLIC MEETINGS |
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| Subject: Neighborhood Retrofit Next Meeting Date: TBA Where: TBA Time: TBA |
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| Download Agenda | ||||||||
| Meeting Minutes:
(Adobe PDF format) |
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| DOCUMENTS (PDF format) |
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| UC Riverside Study: "Costs and Infiltration Benefits of the Watershed Augmentation Study Sites" | ||||||||
| Phase III - Neighborhood Retrofit Concept Plan Neighborhood Retrofit Outreach Plan |
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| Phase II Final Report - |
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| Summary (534 Kb) Final Report (2.7 Mb) Appendices A-E (1.23 Mb - zip) Appendices F-I (2.32 Mb - zip) |
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| Download Water Augmentation Study Flyer (511 Kb) |
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PRESS |
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| June 7, 2005 Press Release - Linda Sanchez Daily News Article - March 16, 2003 |
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LINKS |
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| TreePeople's T.R.E.E.S. Project Seattle Public Utilities Street Edge Alternatives Prince Georges County, Md. Low Impact Development Center for Watershed Protection Low Impact Development Center |
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