Machado Lake Phase I Project

The Machado Lake Phase I Project (Project) is an innovative stormwater clean-up project in the City of Los Angeles. Funded by the City’s Proposition O – Clean Water Bond, and the State of California Proposition 50, this Project aimed to improve water quality and flood capacity in a major channel, known as Wilmington Drain, conveying runoff to the Los Angeles Harbor. This 3,100-foot long soft-bottom stream bed is immediately upstream to Machado Lake, which has been identified as an impaired waterbody. To aid in meeting total maximum daily loads for Machado Lake, improvements to Wilmington Drain were vital. Additionally, as a component of one of the largest remaining coastal wetland ecosystems in Southern California, and known nesting ground for endangered and sensitive species, the Project restored important habitat by replacing invasive, non-native vegetation with native trees, and create recreational open space for the surrounding community.