Workshop 3: Green Infrastructure WaterTours
Tour 3: Pure Water Southern California - Tour of Demonstration
Facility in Carson, CA – PAST EVENT
Thursday, May 11th, 2023 | 10AM - 1PM | In-person
Tour 2: Santa Clara River Restoration Sites – PAST EVENT
Thursday, April 20th, 2023 | 9:30AM - 3PM | In-person
Tour 1: Normandie Avenue Elementary School – PAST EVENT
Friday, January 6th, 2023 | 9AM - 12PM | In-person
Normandie Avenue Elementary School is located at 4505 South Raymond Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90037
Tour 3: Pure Water Southern California - Tour of Demonstration Facility in Carson, CA
Thursday, May 11th, 2023 | 10AM - 1PM | In-person
WaterTalks is pleased to offer participants the opportunity to visit the Pure Water Southern California Demonstration Plant, a state-of-the-art facility that could lead to one of the largest water reuse programs in the world. Water is too precious to use just once. So, The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, in partnership with the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts, is making a major investment in a water recycling program that would reuse water currently sent to the ocean.
Pure Water Southern California would take treated wastewater and further purify it to produce a new, sustainable source of high-quality water for Southern California. At full-scale, Pure Water Southern California would provide a new climate-resilient source of water for Southern California, up to 150 million gallons of water daily when completed and provide enough water for up to 1.5 million people.
Join this tour to learn how this plant is transforming water reuse and securing Southern California’s water future. The tour will run about 90 minutes, this includes a brief presentation, the tour, and plenty of time for Q&A. Driving directions will be provided closer to tour date.
Attendance will be capped at 25 people, lunch will be included.
Who Should Attend? This tour is for all...
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Professionals interested in stormwater management and habitat restoration
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Local elected officials
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City managers and municipal staff
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County commissioners and senior-level staff
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Senior staff from special districts, water districts, and schools
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Other civic leaders involved in water and land-use planning
Tour 2: Santa Clara River Restoration Sites – NEW DATE
Thursday, April 20th, 2023 | 9:30AM - 3:00PM | In-person
We will begin with a tour of a Santa Clara River habitat restoration site near the historic Iron Horse Bridge, led by Heather Merenda, City of Santa Clarita, and Diane Trautman of the Sierra Club. Come learn how the City of Santa Clarita is working with partners and the community on a comprehensive plan to remove invasive giant reed (Arundo donax) and restore the Santa Clara River (SCR) watershed. More on this project can be found here.
The second tour stop will be at the Cienega Springs Ecological Reserve, 283 acres of degraded river channel and floodplain. You’ll hear from Santa Clara Conservancy’s Director, Shawn Kelly, and UC Santa Barbara Research Associate, Evan Hobson, about their efforts to restore the Reserve by creating a mosaic of wetland and riparian habitat types as well as public access to the river. This project is improving the site’s native habitat and hydrology for surface water retention and groundwater recharge, while providing wildlife-oriented recreational opportunities for the surrounding disadvantaged communities. For additional information on this project – click here.
Also on the tour will be Watershed Coordinators, Lara Shellenbarger, Amanda Begley, and Lynn Rodriguez.
Tour Schedule
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9:30AM – Begin Tour at Site 1
Santa Clara River Arundo Removal Project at Iron Horse Bridge
Led by: Heather Merenda, City of Santa Clarita, and Diane Trautman, Sierra Club
Google Map: Site 1 Location & Parking
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11:30AM to 12:00PM – Travel to Site 2
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12:00PM – Lunch
Sandwich lunch hosted at Cienega Springs Ecological Reserve (Vegan/Non-Vegan options)
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1:00PM – Tour of Site 2
Cienega Springs Ecological Reserve Wetland and Habitat Restoration
Led by: Shawn Kelly, Director, Santa Clara Conservancy and Evan Hobson, Research Associate, UC Santa Barbara
Google Map: Site 2 Location & Parking
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3:00PM – Tour End
Reminders:
There is very limited parking available, carpooling recommended. Please give yourself the appropriate drive time. The first tour will start promptly at 9:30AM. If only joining for the second tour, please meet at the Site 2 location (See Google Map here). Tours will consist of two stops with plenty of walking on sometimes uneven ground. Dress in layers and wear walking shoes. Only heavy rain cancels!
Who Should Attend? This tour is for all...
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Professionals interested in stormwater management and habitat restoration
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Local elected officials
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City managers and municipal staff
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County commissioners and senior-level staff
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Senior staff from special districts, water districts, and schools
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Other civic leaders involved in water and land-use planning
Hosted in Partnership with:
Tour 1: Normandie Avenue Elementary School
Friday, January 6th, 2023 | 9AM - 12PM | In-person – PAST EVENT
Normandie Avenue Elementary School is located at 4505 South Raymond Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90037 approximately 6 miles south of Downtown Los Angeles
Start the new year with our third WaterTalks for Agencies and Electeds workshop! Join us Friday, January 6th from 9AM - 12PM for a no-cost tour of green infrastructure projects at Normandie Avenue Elementary School.
The campus tour will focus on recent green infrastructure capital improvements funded by the California State Water Resources Control Board's, Drought Response Outreach Program for Schools (DROPS). DROPS provided school campuses with the funding to implement and demonstrate the multi-benefits of low-impact development (LID) including: reducing stormwater pollution, water conservation, water supply augmentation, energy conservation, and increased awareness of water resources.
Participants will hear from LAUSD Facilities Services Division Maintenance & Operations representatives and the school project team including Council for Watershed Health, Barbara Hall Inc., Studio-MLA, TreePeople and Nature Nexus Institute as we learn about the success and challenges of building and operating green infrastructure on school campuses. LA County Watershed Coordinators will also be present to share about the Safe Clean Water Program and funding opportunities for school greening projects. Coffee will be provided!
Tours will be led by the following project proponents:
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Christos Chrysiliou, Director Architectural & Engineering Services, Los Angeles Unified School District
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Barbara L. Hall, President, Barbara L. Hall, P.E., Inc.
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Eileen Alduenda, Executive Director, Council for Watershed Health
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Rebecca Schwaner, Associate, Studio-MLA
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Stacey Vigallon, Executive Director, Nature Nexus Institute
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Amanda Begley, Associate Program Manager, TreePeople
Who Should Attend? This tour is for all...
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Senior staff from school districts
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Principals
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Teachers
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Grounds maintenance staff
Explore the
Virtual Campus Tour:
Scan the QR code or click here!
This workshop series is funded by the Department of Water Resources Proposition 1 Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) Disadvantaged Communities and Tribal Involvement (DACTI) program.
