March 28, 2024 #1 Local News, Forum, Information and Event Source for Venice Beach, California.

Restoring Ballona Creek With Autonomous System

LA County and The Ocean Cleanup to announce new innovative tech to clean Ballona Creek

By Chad Winthrop

Chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Janice Hahn and representatives from the Holland-based nonprofit The Ocean Cleanup will announce a pilot project designed to sharply reduce the amount of plastic, litter and other trash escaping from Ballona Creek. The new technology will be the first of its kind in North America, using solar-power engineering to harvest floating waste and debris from a waterway that empties into the Santa Monica Bay and some of LA County’s most popular beaches.

“To truly rid the oceans of plastic, we need to both clean up the legacy and close the tap, preventing more plastic from reaching the oceans in the first place. Combining our ocean cleanup technology with the Interceptor, the solutions now exist to address both sides of the equation,” said Boyan Slat, Founder and CEO of The Ocean Cleanup.

The autonomous Interceptor is the first scalable solution to intercept river plastic pollution and can be deployed around the world. It is capable of extracting 50,000 kg of trash per day – even reaching 100,000 kg per day under optimized conditions. Only two Interceptors are operating throughout the world in Jakarta, Indonesia and Klang, Malaysia.

Ballona Creek is an 8.8-mile-long channel that provides flood protection to about 1.5 million residents of Beverly Hills, Culver City, Inglewood, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, Ladera Heights and View Park. During storms, the creek receives an influx of trash and urban runoff from city streets. Although decades of coordinated efforts to reduce stormwater pollution have led to trash reductions, Los Angeles County is partnering with The Ocean Cleanup to mount a “last line of defense” in preventing plastic and other pollutants from reaching the ocean.

Duck hunting on the Ballona lowlands, 1890. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Ballona Creek once meandered through the Ranchos of the Los Angeles Basin. During the rainy season, alongside several other small streams, it would be transformed into a torrent as carrying collected water from the basin watershed area to the Santa Monica Bay. It would flood large areas of the Los Angeles basin, and the creek’s course shifted as that flooding carved new paths through the land.

The County of Los Angeles began straightening the creek in the 1920s to protect the growing metropolis from flood damage. In the 1930s, the Army Corps of Engineers carved it into a large channel and lined all but the last couple of miles with concrete to speed the water’s flow to the ocean. An extensive system of drains, mostly underground, was built to funnel stormwater into the creek.

“The transformation of the creek from a natural waterway into a massive stormdrain has broken a link in the ecological chain and severed the connection between the community and the land on which it resides.”

Ballona Creek Renaissance

“While these projects were effective in accomplishing the task at hand, the transformation of the creek from a natural waterway into a massive stormdrain has broken a link in the ecological chain and severed the connection between the community and the land on which it resides,” said the Ballona Creek Renaissance. “During dry weather the creek flows with urban runoff; the water level and speed increase dramatically during storms. That runoff contains all sorts of pollutants from our air, yards, businesses, schools, and streets – trash, animal waste, oil and grease, pesticides and fertilizers, industrial chemicals. One often finds large items, such as shopping carts, which have been dumped in the creek. Algae accumulates in some places and graffiti in others.”

Related Posts

California: Pioneering the Future of Online and Digital Payments

January 11, 2024

January 11, 2024

In the fast-paced digital economy of the 21st century, California has emerged as a powerhouse in the realm of online...

A Guide to the Current Gambling Situation in Canada

January 1, 2024

January 1, 2024

For centuries, gambling has woven itself into the fabric of human culture; in recent years–marking an era where evolution pervades...

Smart Strategies to Save Money in Your Entertainment Budget

December 30, 2023

December 30, 2023

Many individuals and families in today’s fast-paced world share a common goal: finding ways to save money. The entertainment budget...

California’s top sports teams.

December 1, 2023

December 1, 2023

California is known worldwide for a multitude of exciting things. They’re known for their incredible beaches, glorious sunshine, and fabulous...

Your Lucky Numbers: Six Tips Towards Lottery Success

November 30, 2023

November 30, 2023

Have you ever wondered how people win money from the lottery? They may not always hit the jackpot, but they...

Five different ways to unwind.

October 1, 2023

October 1, 2023

Modern life is always busy and it can feel like your to-do list is never ending. When you’re not working,...

Over Half of Short-Term Rentals Advertised in LA Don’t Comply With City’s Home Sharing Ordinance

April 4, 2023

April 4, 2023

Better Neighbors LA report highlights the inadequacies of enforcement measures for short-term rentals in Los Angeles, calling for increased regulation...

Venice Beach Attempted Murder Suspect Arrested in West Virginia

December 22, 2022

December 22, 2022

Brandon Manyo Dixon arrest in West Virginia By Sam Catanzaro A man has been arrested for the attempted murder of...

The Current Gambling Situation in California

December 1, 2022

December 1, 2022

Here’s what to know about everything from online casinos to betting in the state. In the U.S., gambling is a...

Cancer Cartel Provides Financial Help To Cancer Patients

November 16, 2022

November 16, 2022 1

Cancer Cartel is helping cancer patients focus on their treatment, not the financial stress of living with a diagnosis. Learn...

100 Miles of Bus-Only Lanes Within Five Years on City Council Plans

October 17, 2022

October 17, 2022

L.A’s public transportation network is known for being slow due to traffic congestion. A new motion by L.A. City Council...

What Is the Most Effective Way to Sell a Used Car?

October 6, 2022

October 6, 2022

It’s no secret that selling a used car can be difficult. You have to find the right buyer, negotiate a...

How Do I Know What Types of Commercial Trucking Insurance Coverage I Need?

October 1, 2022

October 1, 2022

Running a small trucking company is expensive. You must comply with many rules set forth by the Federal Motor Carriers...

Best Ways To Show Your LA Baseball Love

August 10, 2022

August 10, 2022

Los Angeles is a sports lover’s paradise. In every sport except for the NHL, locals have two teams to choose...

Inspiring Others Through Body Positivity

May 13, 2022

May 13, 2022

Navy Officer Janae Carey Teams-Up with 2022 Herbalife24 Triathlon Los Angeles . Video brought to you by Pudu Pudu.