Ballona Creek Demonstration Project

The Methodology was applied to the Ballona Creek watershed as a demonstration project, to test the preliminary Methodology as well as to demonstrate the use and benefits of it.
The Ballona Creek Watershed was selected for this demonstration because of its unique history, its current water quality conditions (including many problems shared with other LA County receiving waters), its history of activity in terms of studies and BMP implementation, and the existence of relevant information from other planning efforts. Ballona Creek Watershed is highly urbanized, with most drainage courses either enclosed or lined with concrete. In its October 2004 Watershed Management Initiative, the Regional Water Quality Control Board identified several major issues in the watershed, including:

• trash loading from creek,
• wetlands restoration,
• contamination of sediments (Marina del Rey Harbor and offshore) by heavy metals from creek,
• toxicity of both dry-weather and storm runoff in creek, and
• high bacterial indicators at mouth of creek.

Thus, in addition to being an ideal demonstration location from which the Methodology can be tested, the identification of strategic BMPs is of significant value and could greatly benefit the watershed.

The final product of this demonstration phase is a comprehensive blueprint for implementing structural BMPs in the Ballona Creek Watershed. Note however that the Methodology is intended to be used only for the preliminary planning purpose of ranking potential BMP implementation opportunities (see project planning/design process flowchart above).

One deliverable to come out of this effort is a preliminary priority ranking of BMP implementation projects for the Ballona Creek Watershed, based on numerous selection and ranking factors described above.

Results of the Ballona Creek application are summarized in the Los Angeles County-Wide Structural BMP Prioritization Methodology Ballona Creek Watershed Demonstration Updated Summary Report (pdf: 155 MB)