Sustainable Infrastructure: The Elmer Avenue Neighborhood Retrofit

Since 2000, the Council for Watershed Health has been studying the efficacy of a variety of best management practices (BMPs) to use stormwater to recharge the groundwater in the LA Basin. Here, BMPs were put into practice in the Elmer Avenue Neighborhood with the goal of capturing runoff from 40 acres. The public right-of-way and a portion of 13 residential properties in one block were retrofitted with bioswales, permeable surfaces for walkways and driveways, and raingardens. This article describes the process in detail, including schematic drawings, a summary of how the program is monitored, and results of a survey of residents.