Here at LA Stormwater, we are grateful for many things as we enter this season of thanksgiving. We are especially thankful for the many program stakeholders who have partnered with us to make 2012 a productive year for LA Stormwater. Working as a team towards the goal of sustainability for Los Angeles, we achieved these…

By Shahram Kharaghani This issue of the LA Stormwater newsletter is full of articles that are sure to excite your volunteering spirit. We feature an article by TreePeople, one of the most active community groups in Los Angeles, explaining why it is important to plant some roots and give a little back to the city we love by…

As Program Manager for the City of Los Angeles’ Stormwater Program, I’m fortunate enough to have a job that I look forward to doing everyday. I have the pleasure of coming to the office knowing that the work I do is cleaning up our local creeks, rivers, lakes and beaches. Even better, I get to…

Ah, summertime. A season filled with warm balmy nights, backyard barbecues, Little League games, and weekend trips to the beach. Each of us has favorite summer memories, and I’d venture to guess that those recollections involve a beach, river or lake – we just naturally gravitate towards water during hot months. We’ve all enjoyed that…

How often have we heard the adage that April showers bring May flowers? This year in Los Angeles, April showers are bringing a new frame of mind as well. More and more Angelenos are viewing rainwater as a resource to be captured and used, instead of a liability to be diverted into our storm drain…

It’s hard to believe that I’ll commemorate a decade with the Stormwater Program in 2010. It’s even harder to consider that Los Angeles’ Stormwater Program celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Time sure does fly! The City’s Program has grown significantly in the past 20 years. In 1990, the original staff of the then-named Stormwater…

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…

The American Society of Civil Engineers, Metropolitan Los Angeles Branch (ASCE MLAB) named Dr. Shahram Kharaghani, manager of the City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works Bureau of Sanitation Watershed Protection Division, as 2009 Outstanding Civil Engineer in Government. The honor is given to public servants who promote and implement innovative concepts, research and…

A Message from Shahram Kharaghani, City of Los Angeles Stormwater Program Manager We’re hitting the streets! A spring time Team Effort advertising campaign will share the Stormwater Program’s vision of a socially-responsible Los Angeles. Our approach aims to inspire residents to become part of the solution and play a role in keeping their neighborhoods clean.…