Protecting Our Waters: Community Outreach
7GA is excited to be working with cities, schools and community groups to further our goal of protecting our water. Below are some examples of our current engagement. To learn more about our Multi-Benefit Stormwater Management Practices Database, which provides examples of cost-effective stormwater management projects that improve water quality, reduce local pollution, and increase local water supplies, please click here.
School District Engagements
Blue Ribbon Academic Achievement Environmental Charter Schools
7GA is engaged with the Blue Ribbon Academic Achievement Environmental Charter Schools located in the underserved communities of Inglewood, Lawndale and Gardena. 7GA helps ESC to achieve their objectives of climate, water and natural resource education and sustainability. https://ecsonline.org
City Project Engagements
South Bay Beach Cities/Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach
7GA is part of the working group involved in the design, planning and promotion of the 28th Street Storm Drain Infiltration Project. This beach infiltration system was identified as the highest priority capital project in the Beach Cities Enhanced Watershed Management Program (EWMP). The EWMP was developed in a collaborative effort involving the Cities of Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, Torrance and the Los Angeles County Flood Control District (LACFCD). The project will capture and filter stormwater from these South Bay beach cities before it enters the Santa Monica Bay of the Pacific Ocean, reducing bacterial discharges, beach pollution, and protecting marine life and recreational safety in the bay. More info can be found here.
City of Gardena
7GA is working with the City of Gardena and the Friends of Gardena Willows Wetland Preserve to develop a Nature Center with water quality, native wildlife and animal protection, and educational resources on this ancient 13+ acre urban wetland and upland preserve located in an underserved community. The preserve is the last remnant of the former Dominguez Slough (now the Dominguez Watershed), an important vernal marsh and riparian forest once covering 400 acres. The wetland provides for a home to native plants and animals, while the upland supports both native plants and migratory animal species. This rare urban oasis can provide important water capture and filtration, carbon capture, wildlife refuge, and environmental education, and is a rare opportunity in a watershed that is 96% covered with concrete and infrastructure. More info can be found here.
City of Inglewood
7GA is supporting the Edward Vincent Junior Park Stormwater Improvements Project, a collaboration between the cities of Inglewood and Los Angeles and the County of LA. The park is a 55 acre park which sits on the site of the original Centinela Springs, historically known to have been the source of water for prehistoric animals and Native American settlers. The watersheds of impact are Centinela Creek and Ballona Creek. The stormwater project features surface retention/infiltration basin, dry weather and storm weather capture and re-use, biofiltration/wetlands. This project has significant DAC community improvement including a recreation center, pool, sports courts, fields, open turf with trees. More info can be found here.
Letters of Support:
28th Street Infiltration Project
7GA is proud to provide letters of of support to cities that are looking to adopt and implement Multi-Benefit Stormwater Management Projects. Most recently we submitted our formal letter of support for the 28th Street Storm Drain Infiltration Project in Manhattan Beach, California.
State Water Project: California’s Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta Tunnel Project
The Delta Tunnel project is a water supply proposal from our Governor to construct an underground aqueduct that would pump and divert water from Northern to Southern California. The tunnel would be built at the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta — the site of critical, fragile wetlands, waterways and islands that are home to nearly 750 species of plants and wildlife, and a necessary breeding network of wild salmon. If built, the tunnel would divert water from the Delta to an artificial body of water at Clifton Court Forebay, from where it would continue to flow through state aqueducts to Southern California and through federal channels to farm fields in the San Joaquin Valley. 7GA joins many environmental protection advocates in opposing the Delta Tunnel project and recommending proven, safe and effective alternative water supply alternatives. See our position here:
Support for The Ballona Creek TMDL Project in the Santa Monica Bay Stormwater Investment Plan FY 21/22
The Ballona Creek TMDL Project is critically important to achieve the goals and objectives of the Safe Clean Water Program and the Regional Infrastructure Program, while providing much needed benefits to the region’s community.
This project can uniquely address the challenging numeric water quality targets of the Ballona Creek, the Ballona Estuary and the Sepulveda Channel Bacteria Total Maximum Daily Load. This Project was modeled and incorporated in the Ballona Creek Enhanced Watershed Management Program and approved by the Regional Water Quality Control Board to meet bacteria water quality standards for the vast majority of the days in a year.
Wetlands Restoration Partnership (WRP)
The WRP advocates responsible wetland restoration principles and works to support wetland restoration with the goals of enhancing water quality and natural habitation. 7GA has been invited to be a partner and part of this important coalition. Below is a presentation for Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve Restoration project if you would like to learn more about the work of the coalition.