BIOL 114; Spring 2020

Extra Credit Assignment (25 pts)

The final series of lectures for our class will focus on using natural systems to filter urban runoff
to clean it, add to the groundwater table, and promote biodiversity. These actions enhance
ecosystem services, another important topic we’ll be discussing later in the semester.
Capturing rainwater and runoff using natural or constructed systems and green architecture is a
strategy known as Low Impact Development (LID) and is being adopted nationwide through
EPA’s storm water management programs. Over the past several years the City of Los Angeles
has developed an extensive program involving LID and other strategies to capture runoff and
enhance our water supplies as we get deeper into climate change.

One Water LA (https://www.lacitysan.org/san/faces/home/portal/s-lsh-es/s-lsh-es-owla?

_adf.ctrl-state=1pplhc5jz_154&_afrLoop=5282581606361851#!) is an extensive integrated
framework for managing the City’s water resources, watersheds, related infrastructure, and
green spaces. Developing and implementing this program includes a host of stakeholders
including local governments, community organizations, environmental groups, academia, and
private citizens. See the attached flier that provides a summary of this program.

For this extra credit assignment, write report on how implementing the various projects and
water management strategies will enhance freshwater reserves and ecosystem services for the
City and region. When reading about the various projects and strategies in the plans, think
about what ecosystem services could be enhanced or even returned to the urban area,
supporting your views with information from published studies.

This paper should be written concisely, no more than 4-5 pages in length not counting figures
and tables. Write your paper as a Word document. All sources of information should be
correctly cited in this report using the American Psychological Association style for citations
with full citations given in a Reference section.