City Council Approves Environmental Documents!

Welcome to the first edition of our project e-newsletter. The project team hopes you find this newsletter helpful in staying up-to-date with the progress of our projects. The Machado Lake and Wilmington Drain Rehabilitation projects have completed the environmental documentation process and construction plans are now being finalized. Please click on any of the topics below to get additional information and go to  http://www.lapropo.org/ to find out more about this and other Proposition O projects.

• Final EIR is Certified
• Machado Lake Rehabilitation
• Wilmington Drain Multi-Use Project
• Schedules for Machado Lake and Wilmington Drain Projects
• What's New with the City's Prop O Projects

Project Approved and Final EIR
Certified at City Council

The project's final environmental impact report (FEIR) was brought
before the L.A. City Council for certification on September 28th. This was the last step in getting the EIR approved.

The main feature of the FEIR is the public comments and the project team responses. Approximately 10 written and oral comments were received during the Draft EIR review period that took place from March 18 to May 3, 2010.

They can be found within the Final EIR at:

 http://eng.lacity.org/techdocs/emg/wilmington_drain.htm

Environmental documents and and related information for other Bureau of Engineering projects can also be found at that website.

Project Plans — What to Look For

The improvements that will be built at the Wilmington Drain and Machado Lake projects will:

• Improve water quality to meet the standards mandated by the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board
• Improve the flood control capacity of the Wilmington Drain to convey the flow from a 50-year storm event
• Improve the biological diversity of the Machado Lake ecosystem by restoring and enhancing native habitat and by removing invasive plant species
• Improve the appearance of the Wilmington Drain, Machado Lake, and Harbor Regional Park while reducing the use of potable water for irrigation
• Enhance the quality of open green space and recreational and educational amenities

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Machado Lake

Project highlights include:

Lake and nearby Riparian Woodland

• Removal of sediment that is high in nutrients (which create algae and other problems)
• Stabilization of the shoreline to limit nutrients and sediment from entering the Lake and to enhance aquatic and riparian habitat
• Construction of a wetlands that will recirculate lake water to reduce nutrients
• Creation of floating islands for bird and wildlife habitat
• Modification to the Machado Lake dam to improve pedestrian access, provide better public safety during overflow conditions, and facilitate draw-downs
• Better distribution of stormwater flows from the Wilmington Drain into the riparian woodland to take advantage of natural treatment processes, including features to control sediment deposits
• Use of water from the Terminal Island Water Reclamation Plant to maintain lake levels during dry periods
• Removal of non-native plants and enhancement of native vegetation
• Improvements to existing storm drains and installation of trash capture devices
• Installation of a lake aeration system to meet water quality objectives and increase the oxygen level in the lake for fish and other aquatic life

Freshwater Marsh

• Installation of trash capture devices in storm drains that discharge to the marsh
• Enhancement and expansion of existing coastal valley freshwater marsh vegetation
• Enhancement of existing willow scrub habitat
• Habitat improvements including removal of non-native invasive plants and debris, and planting of appropriate native riparian species

Strategic Parkland Areas

• Installation of bioswales at strategic locations to capture surface flows from parking and parkland areas (bioswales are graded landforms designed to remove silt and pollution from runoff)
• Modifications to the trail system to make walking more enjoyable and minimize lake edge erosion
• Installation of a weather-based irrigation system to avoid over-watering and conserve water year ‘round
• Interpretive signage
• Pet litter bag stations
• Additional/improved trash receptacles
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Wilmington Drain

Project highlights include:

• Installation of storm water screening devices and trash netting to reduce pollution in the channel and in the lake downstream
• Channel bank stabilization
• Native vegetation restoration and removal of invasive plant species to stabilize and improve the habitat along channel banks and the island
• Improvement to passive recreation areas including a nature park with trails, interpretive signage, and nature viewing areas
• Installation of education and enforcement signage, litter receptacles, and pet waste dispensers

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Design and Construction Schedules

The design of the Wilmington Drain project is nearing completion and will be out to bid in 2011. Machado Lake project design will be completed in 2011 as well.

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What's New with the City's Prop O Projects?

Snapshot as of September 2010:
32 Projects Underway

Since Prop O's inception, nine projects have been completed.

In addition:

• Eleven projects are in construction
• One is out to bid
• Six are in design
• Three are in pre-design
• Two land acquisition projects are in progress

A total of thirty-two projects have been initiated by the City.

Latest News:

• Westside Park Rainwater Irrigation Project started in May 2010.
• Construction to upgrade eight Low Flow Diversion facilities is wrapping up
• The Prop O Citizens Oversight Advisory Committee hosted a tour of Sun Valley Watershed Projects, including the planned Strathern Wetlands Park (also known as the Strathern Pit Multi-use Project) on September 15. The acquisition of this property and construction of the project is partially by Prop O. The 30-acre gravel pit site will be developed into a multi-purpose facility dedicated to stormwater retention and reuse
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For More Information:

City of Los Angeles
Department of Public Works
213-978-0329 or 213-978-0333
Email: olga.morales@lacity.org

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