To give the reader some idea of the magnitude of the storm water run-off problem in Southern California the following approximations are provided. These data were culled from a number of studies that were done to garner an understanding of the magnitude of the problem.
Average annual Rainfall Los Angeles 1877-2008…14.99 in. Long Term Mean
Average Annual Runoff to Ocean………………….300 Billion Gallons Approx.
Average Annual Runoff to Ocean……………………..0.9 Million acre ft. Approx
Average Annual suspended Solids Runoff…………….120,000 Tons Approx.
Average Annual Heavy metal Runoff…………………………..100 Tons Approx.
Average Annual Nitrate Runoff………………………………..2000 Tons Approx.
Substantial amounts of pesticides and weed killers were also detected.
I Acre =43,560 sq.ft.
1 Acre ft. = 325,851 gallons of water.
1 Cubic ft. Water=7.48 Gallons
1 litre = 0.2641721 Gallons
Approx 47% of California’s water is used to meet environmental /habitat needs.
Approx.41% of California’s water is used to meet agricultural needs.
Approx.11% of California’s water is used to meet residential and commercial needs.
Water use is projected to grow33%in the 2000-2030 time period in California.
The 0.9 Million acre feet of storm water runoff to ocean is equal to 25% of Southern California’s total water consumption.
Catalina’s Avalon beach is ranked as the number one most polluted beach in California.
35% of all California beaches receive an F rating during the wet season.
Many Calif. Beaches exceed total maximum daily loads for fecal bacteria.
20 cities have received notices of violation to clean Santa Monica Bay Beaches by the Los Angeles Water Quality Control Board.
The health risks associated with polluted ocean water from storm water runoff include stomach flu,Ear infections, upper respiratory, and major skin rashes.
California’s ocean dependent economy is valued at 43 billion dollars a year.
Runoff from creeks , rivers and storm drains is the largest source of pollution to California Beaches.
Each year up to 400 million visits are made to California Beaches.
Over a million dollars was removed from the state budget for water quality monitoring and pollution warning signage.
In 2008, all three Southern California counties decided to eliminate or severely reduce their ocean water quality programs.
Health officials recommend staying out of ocean water for a minimum of three days after any rain storm.
After a single rain, indicator bacteria ratings usually far exceed California State health criteria for recreational water use.
The City of Los Angeles is spending 100 million dollars of Proposition O funds to make Santa Monica beaches clean and safe for recreational use.