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Seeking Streams: A landscape framework for urban and ecological revitalization in the upper Ballona Creek watershed
Full Report 184 Pages. Introduction Page 3. Conclusion Page 25.
Sponsored by City of Los Angeles, Department of Public Works, Bureau of Sanitation, Watershed Protection Division
Click here to download the 200 megabyte PDF now.
Jeanette Vosburg
Sierra Club Angeles Chapter Ex-Com & Chair, Airport Marina Group
4124 East Boulevard, Los Angeles, California 90066
310-721-3512 Jeanette@SaveBallona.org
“You can’t solve a problem at the level at which it was created” Einstein
Dear Ballona Supporter,
You can be one of LA’s leaders in restoring more vibrant, natural habitat that invites wildlife into backyards, front yards, multifamily residences, and public places. Participate in “A Day Long Dialogue: Envisioning A New Paradigm for the Ballona Watershed” on Saturday, April 14th from 10 am to 4 pm including lunch; and, take a Sunday morning bus tour, April 15th from 10 -12:30. To help defray lunch and bus tour your tax deductible contribution will be $30.00.
For more than 15 years I, along with others, have worked toward the day when we would open storm drains (in other words remove some of our pipe shed) and restore our watershed. Many of our participants have worked twenty, thirty or more years studying, creating and caring for urban wilderness.
With Los Angeles City and County as well as the State talking about and funding water resiliency projects, we propose to put our heads together and dialogue ways we can partner together, as a small, committed group to set a new, higher standard for multi-benefit projects that link Los Feliz and Western Avenues at Fern Dell Park to Venice Boulevard and Cochran Avenue in a green belt.
As I walked all of Ballona Creek and many of its tributaries with Jessica Hall, our former Ballona Watershed Coordinator, and visited Franklin Canyon on a rainy day with her and watched the rain make natural streams, and listened raptly to her speak as we rode through the densest part of Los Angeles on an All Day Ballona Watershed Bus Tour in 2005, I have dreamed of the day her ideas would become a reality.
Today, I believe the stars are aligned for a small group of committed individuals to make the authors of “Seeking Streams: A landscape framework for urban and ecological revitalization in the upper Ballona Creek watershed” proud.
Go to SaveBallona.org/SeekingStreams to read their first 25 pages of historical maps, photos, ideas and conclusions. See page 3 for the Introduction. History buffs, water nuts like me, and anyone who wants to reverse some of the degradation man has wrought on our watershed, will love this blueprint for the future. I believe you will find the report so fascinating you will read the entire 174-pages.
You will begin to see that revitalization of the Ballona Watershed by capturing millions of gallons of rainwater for nature parks and seasonal wetlands in the upper Ballona Creek Watershed is possible, before it goes into storm drains. This is doable, sensible, and will pass a cost benefit analysis. In some cases these drains have been parching the water-starved inner city since 1917.
Imagine how carefully choosing some storm drains for day-lighting could create
new attractions for wildlife, provide life nurturing walking trails along a babbling brook for nature deprived inner city folks, and begin to achieve equity in the high density, park and wildlife starved upper Ballona Watershed.
This idea is consistent with moving toward a resiliency based 130 square-mile Ballona Creek Watershed and saving millions, upon millions of gallons of storm water for wildlife.
Sincerely,
Jeanette Vosburg
Chair Airport Marina Group
Member Ex-Com Sierra Club Angeles Chapter
P. S. Here are links to:
Background Information:
1. Short Ballona Watershed Fly-Over Focuses on Park Expansion:
https://youtu.be/hmCd2PJwIpg
2. Seeking Streams: A landscape framework for urban and ecological revitalization in the upper Ballona Creek watershed: SaveBallona.org/SeekingStreams
Funding and projects:
3. LA Stormwater: LA's Watershed Protection Program:
http://www.lastormwater.org/about-us/about-watersheds/ballona-creek/
4. Ballona Creek Bacteria TMDL ProjectClean water TMDL: http://www.lastormwater.org/about-us/ballona-creek-bacteria-tmdl-project/
5. Baldwin Hills Conservancy Grant Programs: http://bhc.ca.gov/grants/
Prop 1: The Water Quality, Supply, and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014
Prop 40: Clean Water, Clean Air, Safe Neighborhood Parks, and Coastal Protection Act of 2002
Prop 84: Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality and Supply, River and Coastal Protection Act of 2006
6. LA Water Report 2018: Water_LA_2018_Report.pdf
and WATERLA 2018 REPORT Key Significance.docx
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