"Rain Garden" Plans

[RH77]

In 2005, The Kansas City Missouri "Powers-that-be" championed the "10,000 Rain Gardens" initiative.

Synopsis: Literally a grass-roots effort on the part of the City, State, and bi-State agencies to help control runoff, prevent stream contamination, provide solutions for low-lying areas, and to beautify the area. Local wildflowers and plants, including water-friendly grasses are planted to "soak up" runoff and provide a habitat for birds and useful insects. Support and plans are earmarked to aid in projects.

My back yard is smack-dab in the middle of a swale downstream from most of the neighborhood. The corner becomes an unsightly bog and the middle is low-lying with pools and mud.

Has anyone tried something similar? This has been tested in other regions with success. I'd really like to get motivated to try this.

It seems good Ecologically, and to solve a runoff and water collection problem.

RH77

[cfg83]

RH77 -

I was thinking you'd need mosquito fish, but it's better than that :

Designed to drain water within a day, rain gardens serve as mosquito death traps, since mosquito eggs need more than 48 hours to grow into larvae. Native plants are drought-resistant, accustomed to our area’s soils, and attract butterflies and birds.

I think that in LA, the closest we have gotten to this is some conversation about restoring the LA river to being a river and not a concrete ditch. Here's an organization helping the river :

Friends of the Los Angeles River
http://www.folar.org/index.html

CarloSW2

[RH77]

Originally Posted by cfg83

RH77 -

I was thinking you'd need mosquito fish, but it's better than that :

...

I think that in LA, the closest we have gotten to this is some conversation about restoring the LA river to being a river and not a concrete ditch. Here's an organization helping the river :

Friends of the Los Angeles River
http://www.folar.org/index.html

CarloSW2

Yeah, I looked into that, because the bog in the lawn is a breeding ground for pest insects. This seems to fix that problem as well.


But yeah, Water use in LA has to be a tough balance. I essentially spent 2002 in LA every 3 weeks -- so I guess I kinda "lived there". Mostly at hotel near the Airport I tried to explore when I could and noted the ditches and runoff areas.

But I started to get wrapped-up in the Politics, and everyday stuff that goes on there -- it's complicated -- lots of issues on the Ballot! (off-topic, but interesting to me).

I was really impressed by the desalinization plant that converts salt water into drinking water. Further, the intricate system that brings water to the city from the mountains is amazing on such a large scale. If you fly in from the right direction, you can follow the aqueducts from the air -- good stuff.

I know the latest in Orange County is a system to convert waste-water into drinking water. I know that may repulse people, but the Science behind it makes sense and is completely safe. Recycling at its best!

Here in MO, we have the "Stream Team", which I belong, to test and clean-up local streams to evaluate runoff toxins -- which looks like what people at the link are attempting: to restore bodies of water (the LA River) to the natural state instead of a concrete basin. The water quality has to be terrible, but during the rainy moments, it must serve a purpose.

Not sure, what do you think about it? Seems to be necessary, but hazardous.

RH77

[cfg83]

RH77 -

Originally Posted by RH77

Yeah, I looked into that, because the bog in the lawn is a breeding ground for pest insects. This seems to fix that problem as well.

But yeah, Water use in LA has to be a tough balance. I essentially spent 2002 in LA every 3 weeks -- so I guess I kinda "lived there". Mostly at hotel near the Airport I tried to explore when I could and noted the ditches and runoff areas.

But I started to get wrapped-up in the Politics, and everyday stuff that goes on there -- it's complicated -- lots of issues on the Ballot! (off-topic, but interesting to me).

I was really impressed by the desalinization plant that converts salt water into drinking water. Further, the intricate system that brings water to the city from the mountains is amazing on such a large scale. If you fly in from the right direction, you can follow the aqueducts from the air -- good stuff.

Ah yes, maybe some of those roads of water were Mulholland's originals :

The Story of the Los Angeles Aqueduct
http://wsoweb.ladwp.com/Aqueduct/historyoflaa/

I know the latest in Orange County is a system to convert waste-water into drinking water. I know that may repulse people, but the Science behind it makes sense and is completely safe. Recycling at its best!

Here in MO, we have the "Stream Team", which I belong, to test and clean-up local streams to evaluate runoff toxins -- which looks like what people at the link are attempting: to restore bodies of water (the LA River) to the natural state instead of a concrete basin. The water quality has to be terrible, but during the rainy moments, it must serve a purpose.

Not sure, what do you think about it? Seems to be necessary, but hazardous.

RH77

We need the LA River for flood control, but we need water like mad. Anything that we can do to recapture runoff is a winner to me. From my POV, just getting the quality up to gray-water status is enough to help. Here is the LA River revitalization plan from April 2007 :

Download Final Revitalization Master Plan:
http://www.lariverrmp.org/CommunityO...n_download.htm

This is the part I like in Chapter 4 :

Chapter 4 - Revitalize the River
http://www.lariverrmp.org/CommunityO...River42407.pdf

(Page 3 of 22)
Goal: Enhance Flood Storage
Recommendation #4.1:
Identify opportunities for peak flood storage outside the channel to reduce flow velocities in the River to sub-critical (less than 12 feet per second) levels. This will support the maintenance and reestablishment of vegetation.
Recommendation #4.2:
Identify opportunities for selective acquisition of additional rights-of-way to expand the River’s floodplain.

...

Goal: Restore a Functional Riparian Ecosystem
Recommendation #4.13:
Create a continuous functional riparian corridor that provides habitat for birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, invertebrates, and fish within the channel bottom.
Recommendation #4.14:
Connect this corridor to other significant habitat and migration routes along the tributaries and into the mountains.
Recommendation #4.15:
Improve water quality and provide fish passages, ladders, and riffle pools that would support desirable fish species, including steelhead trout if feasible.
Recommendation #4.16:
Bio-engineer the River’s edge where feasible to create and restore wildlife habitat along the upper reaches of the River.

(Page 8 of 22)

Ultimately, stored water could be used for irrigation or infiltration. Other downstream areas may offer selective benefits (for example, the Spreading Grounds, or Taylor Yard), but the associated land areas are much smaller, and consequently would accommodate less water unless basins were quite deep.

If you could restore the LA River, you could have a complement to the
The only "natural" remnant of LA that I can think of, the Ballona Wetlands :

Friends of Ballona Wetlands
http://www.ballonafriends.org/index.htm

CarloSW2