October marks the beginning of the rainy season here in Los Angeles. It is also the time of year when we celebrate a culturally popular holiday – Halloween. As we enter the wet winter months ahead, Los Angeles faces some potentially frightening challenges. Will the El Niño conditions predicted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric…

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…

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…

In July, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) scientists announced the return of El Niño, a climate phenomenon with significant influence on global weather. Occurring, on average, once every two to seven years and typically lasting 12 months, El Niño is the warming of central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean waters. Generally, an El Niño…

The City of LA wants to thank everyone who participated in the Low Impact Development (LID) workshops earlier this month. A total of 66 program stakeholders attended the workshops, including representatives from a variety of organizations (business/development community, environmental community, neighboring cities and Los Angeles neighborhood councils). The draft of the LID ordinance is now…

A new California bill seeks to expand the role of stormwater management to incorporate strategies that will use it as a resource. The Stormwater Resource Planning Act, SB 790, allows municipalities to tap funds from two of the state’s existing bond funds and use the money for projects that reduce or reuse stormwater, recharge the…

The City of Los Angeles is seeking a rain barrel installation expert willing to participate as an instructor in a City of Los Angeles “How To” video.*The video will serve as a tool for residents who are looking to install a rain barrel at their property. The video will be available online as well as…

On Wednesday, October 21, the Citizens Oversight Advisory Committee (COAC) will be hosting a Prop O general meeting where they will be discussing Prop O funded projects such as Echo Park Lake’s rehab and the Westchester Stormwater best management practices project. The public is welcome to attend this open forum meeting and will be given…

Today’s rain has put those newly installed Rainwater Harvesting barrels to work! All of you who have already received your barrels know that they fill up quickly. One good thing to note is that the barrels come equipped with spouts to allow for additional barrels to be hooked up and collect overflow. Also, we’ve read…

Tomorrow is the last day (for residents) to submit an application for the Rainwater Harvesting program. If you have not yet submitted your application, please make sure to do so ASAP at www.larainwaterharvesting.org Please note that businesses are still encouraged to apply after tomorrow’s deadline.