Los Angeles leaders broke ground Oct. 1, 2026, at Valley Plaza Park on a stormwater capture project that will retrofit seven East San Fernando Valley parks to collect rainwater and urban runoff, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power said.
The city said the Stormwater Capture Parks Program will deliver an average stormwater capture capacity of 158 acre-feet per year; officials said it will improve downstream water quality, reduce localized flooding and cut pollutants entering the Tujunga Wash, the Los Angeles River and the ocean.
"This innovative program will be instrumental in fortifying Los Angeles’s water supply," Councilmember said; he said the initiative will capture millions of gallons that would otherwise flow to the ocean and could help keep municipal rates stable by reducing reliance on imported water sources.
Allan Marks, president of the Los Angeles Board of Water and Power Commissioners, said the program will capture, treat and store millions of gallons of stormwater and strengthen local water reliability. Crystal Lee, city engineer, said the projects are examples of what agencies can do when they work together; Jimmy Kim, general manager of the Department of Recreation and Parks, said the work highlights the dual role parks can play for neighborhood water management and recreation.
Valley Plaza Park South is one of seven parks in the program; the other sites listed in the release are Valley Plaza Park North, Strathern Park North, Valley Village Park, Whitsett Fields Park, Fernangeles Park and David M. Gonzales Park.
The release said park upgrades will include native vegetation landscaping, new trees and additional recreational improvements alongside the water infrastructure; officials directed people seeking more information to LADWP.com/parks.
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Adrin Nazarian
Los Angeles City Councilmember, District 2
Named once in this story.
Portrait: Los Angeles City Council / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)
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