With last year’s record breaking rain, it is more important than ever to prepare for another onslaught of moisture heading toward LA this winter.
Did you know 3.8 billion gallons of polluted water is sent into the ocean for every inch of rain that falls on the City of Los Angeles?
This isn’t how it always used to be.
The LA Basin used to capture 90% of the rain that fell from the sky, while 10% made its way out to the ocean through rivers and streams. Now the reverse is true: we capture only 10% on and 90% goes to waste out to the Pacific.
This has to change– we are entering a time of climate extremes and the possibility of another drought is always around the corner.
Slow it, Spread it, Sink it.
LA needs to capture rain that falls in its basin.
We can do this by slowing water where it falls, spreading it and sinking it down into the soil to replenish our aquifers.
Here are a few things you can do at home over the weekend:
Mulch, mulch, mulch!
Have we mentioned how much we love mulch magic? Mulch comes from trees– like dropped leaves, bark, sticks, wood chips. Use mulch to help slow, spread and sink all the drops.
Install a Rain Barrel.
Rain barrels are a great way to collect the rain. What’s better? You can use captured water on your trees in drier times.
Add a Rain Garden.
What’s a rain garden?! Just think of it as molding the earth into bowl-like, concave depressions in your yard to keep water on your property. You can make them beautiful, too! Spruce yours up with California natives.