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Rio Hondo Watershed

Julie Millet
RWA Planning
jmillett@rwaplanning.com

The Rio Hondo Watershed boasts some of the most geologically, geographically, and culturally diverse communities in LA County.

Starting at San Gabriel Mountains, this watershed drains to the Rio Hondo, then to the LA River, and finally into the Pacific Ocean. The Rio Hondo watershed also includes the Arcadia Wash, Rubio Wash, Eaton Wash, and Santa Anita Wash. Ten of the cities within the watershed have a primary language other than English, including Spanish, Mandarin, and Cantonese. 

Learning from my dad, who is a fellow watershed coordinator, inspired me to always care about preserving our water and natural world. He is more of a scientist, and I am more of a people person. We make a great team. I think the best approach is to meet people where they are and just listen. It could be at a neighborhood council meeting or my little table at the Alhambra Farmers Market. I’m kind of a dork about water capture, and it turns out people get excited when they learn what impact we can make together.  

– Your Watershed Coordinator Julie

Get in touch with Julie to learn about how we can create exciting water capture projects in your community. 

From the Community

  • Vincent Lugo Park (LA County)
  • Montebello Parkway stormwater capture project (LADWP)
  • Like other watersheds in the LA County Basin, this land is indigenous to the Gabrielino and Tongva peoples and is home to many historic villages.  
  • “We have a lot of good fortune here in our built world, but it would be really, really great if we could do the same for our natural world too.”

    Julie Millett
  • Stormwater capture project in East LA (LADWP)
  • Norwood Elementary green space (Norwood Greening Project)
  • Featured Project

    Merced Avenue Stormwater Capture Project, El Monte

    This project will increase natural vegetation and add a bioswale to increase water storage and divert stormwater runoff in El Monte. 

    • Reduce flooding in the community
    • Add a bike path and natural vegetation next to the bioswale
    • Increased stormwater capture
  • View of the median from Merced Avenue

Watershed Area Steering Committee Members

Watershed committee members work with the watershed coordinators to develop investment plans for their watershed.

Dawn Petschauer

Pasadena

Municipal
Vice Chair

Julian Juarez

LA County Flood Control District

Community

Tom Love

Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District

Agency

Kelly Gardner, Vice Chair

Main San Gabriel Basin Watermaster

Agency
Chair

Dave Pierce

LA County Sanitation Districts

Agency

Brent Maue

City of Pasadena Public Works

Agency

Thomas Wong

San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District

Community

Jill Fosselman

Resident

Community

Mark Hall

Greater LA County Vector Control District

Community

Edward Belden

Resident

Community

Daniel Rossman

The Wilderness Society

Community

David Dolphin

Alhambra

Municipal

Briget Arndell

Arcadia

Municipal

Jalaine Verdiner

Los Angeles County

Municipal

Gloria Crudgington

Monrovia

Municipal

Sal Mendez

El Monte

Municipal

Sarah Rocha

Irwindale

Municipal

Richard Watson

RWA Planning

Watershed Coordinator
Non-voting Member

Upcoming Events

Events and meetings related to the Rio Hondo watershed. Find archived events here.

Resources

Documents, facts sheets, links, and more related to the Rio Hondo watershed.

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