1

Los Angeles City Report

A case study on water and agriculture

Los Angeles

Student’s Name
 2

CITY WATER RESOURCES

I have chosen Los Angeles as my miles of pipes and canals make up the State

city of study, located in the state of Water Project3. The SWP is a significant

California's southwest region of the United source of water for southern Californian

States. There are numerous water sources in cities. Additionally, it provides irrigation

Los Angeles (L.A.), and legal disputes over water to San Joaquin Valley farms.

how much water belongs to parched Los Aqueducts draw water from the Owens

Angeles have already erupted. The city gets River, the Mono Lake Basin, and reservoirs

its water from the Los Angeles County on the eastern slopes of the southern Sierra4.

Waterworks Districts (LACWD), a Colorado is also a crucial water source for

department of Los Angeles County Public Southern California's urban areas. Retailers

Works that draws its water from three of water buy it from neighborhood

sources to serve its customers1. Areas close contractors or regional wholesale water

to the Eastern Sierra that was destroyed by organizations5. This is because groundwater

excessive L.A. water usage are currently and other local resources are insufficient in

being revived with water by the LADWP. California's major urban areas to support

The State Water Project, the LA their massive populations, necessitating the

Aqueduct, and the Colorado River provide importation of water from other parts of the

most of the imported water2. A two-thirds- state.

length network of reservoirs, pump stations, Processes are used in California for

storage facilities, power plants, and 660 the treatment and disposal of wastewater.

1
Public Works. Water Sources. 2022. https://dpw.lacounty.gov/wwd/web/YourWater/WaterSources.aspx.
2
Public Works. Imported Water. 2022. https://pw.lacounty.gov/landing/wr/watersupply/importedWater.cfm.
3
Public Works. Water Sources. 2022. https://dpw.lacounty.gov/wwd/web/YourWater/WaterSources.aspx.
4
Public Works. Imported Water. 2022. https://pw.lacounty.gov/landing/wr/watersupply/importedWater.cfm.
5
Public Works
 3

Preliminary treatment is the first stage of the and approved by the Land Use Program of

wastewater treatment process6. Using the Environmental Health Division. Also, it

naturally occurring microbes that consume is important to note that Los Angeles

organic materials during secondary recycles water; however, it is not used for

treatment allows for removing pollutants drinking. The Colorado River, the Delta of

that have dissolved in wastewater. Tertiary the San Joaquin and Sacramento Rivers,

treatment involves different techniques that runoff from the Eastern Sierra, nearby

can be employed during these operations to groundwater, and desalination provide water

eliminate a variety of elements. The public for Los Angeles. Local groundwater and

utility that provides water is not responsible desalination are the two resources that can

for treating wastewater. Instead, the onsite be classed as somewhat local.

wastewater treatment systems are examined

Los Angeles water supply

Metropolitan district 53%
water

LA Aqueduct 35%

Recycled water
1%

Local groundwater 11%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Los Angeles water supply

Figure 1: City of Los Angeles Water Supply

STRATEGY

6
Water Education. WASTEWATER TREATMENT PROCESS IN CALIFORNIA. 2022.
https://www.watereducation.org/aquapedia/wastewater-treatment-process-california.
 4

Strategies Los Angeles employs to emergency conservation measures that

manage water resources include developing would hasten conservation implementation

new water supplies where communities can in a way already required by the 2018

become drought-proof by investing in regulations, given the urgent need to

wastewater recycling and desalination conserve water in what could be a fourth dry

technology7. This is done by enacting year. The additional short-term criteria

regulations on direct potable reuse that might go into force no later than spring 2023

permit distributors to distribute recycled if drought conditions persist10. These three

water without first putting it into a reservoir key initiatives would stretch resources

or aquifer. The second strategy is increasing effectively, make use of otherwise useless

storage capacity, where runoff can be water, and increase our ability to store

collected at times when environmental stormwater for dry periods. In other words,

damage is minimal, and modernizing and they are created for a climate prone to

reforming water rights is essential to weather whiplash.

guaranteeing climate adaptation8. The third Reducing water demand is one

strategy is by reducing demand whereby by technique that has been successful in the

2030, the city aims to lower yearly water city. Previously seen and used only as a

consumption in towns and cities by at least temporary solution in the event of a drought

500,000 acre-feet by building on or emergency water crisis, water use

conservation successes of the previous two efficiency has now been integrated

decades9. The State Water Board will create

7
California Department of Water Resources. Water Resource Management Strategies. 2022.
https://water.ca.gov/Programs/California-Water-Plan/Water-Resource-Management-Strategies.
8
California Department of Water Resources. Water Resource Management Strategies. 2022.
https://water.ca.gov/Programs/California-Water-Plan/Water-Resource-Management-Strategies.
9
California Department of Water Resources
10
California Department of Water Resources
 5

permanently into the long-term management developed into a fully realized phenomenon

of California's water supply11. with its website13. The One Water Los

One of the urban planning strategies Angeles Plan uses a thorough and team-

employed in the One Water LA Plan. The based strategy to consider all available water

City has adopted the One Water idea of resources. The Plan identifies projects,

combining all its water resource regulations, and programs that will enhance

management to tackle these difficulties. In recycling and opportunity capture while

1999, the City started its first Integrated guaranteeing multiple benefits and improve

Resources Plan, with LADWP and LASAN LA's urban water cycle14. By 2040, the One

as important partners12. After 20 years, these Water Plan aims to completely integrate the

collaborations are already ingrained in the management of the City's wastewater,

City's culture, and LA's One Water Plan has stormwater, watershed, and drinking water.

AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES

When it comes to agriculture, Los orchard fruit, and ornamental trees and

Angeles County used to be the best in the shrubs. The primary crop produced in Los

country which has agricultural resources Angeles is still nursery goods15. Nursery

such as farm lands. The primary agricultural crops, a general term for shrubs, trees,

products farmed in Los Angeles include flowers, and other plants grown for

alfalfa hay, bedding plants, root vegetables, landscaping, are one of the few commercial
11
California Department of Water Resources
12
CWEA. One Water LA: A Guide Towards Sustainable & Integrated Water Management. 2022.
https://www.cwea.org/news/one-water-la-a-guide-towards-sustainable-integrated-water-management/.
13
CWEA
14
CWEA
15
Gerber, J. and Surls, R. Los Angeles County's Forgotten Farming History. March 1, 2019.
https://www.pbssocal.org/shows/la-foodways/los-angeles-county-was-once-the-top-agricultural-county-in-the-
nation
 6

agricultural practices that are still largely exporters, shipped $27B in 202117. Top

prevalent in urban Los Angeles16. In Los exports from Los Angeles in 2021 included

Angeles, there is a developing trend toward cotton that had not been carded or combed,

less farming and the use of land for frozen boneless beef pieces, food

agricultural purposes. preparations, and edible nuts like

Los Angeles, the 18th largest pistachios18.

exporter in the United States out of 393

Agricultural products in California

Oranges
Grapes6%
5%
Wine
6%

Almond
12%

Others
58%
Cotton
12%

Figure 2: Agricultural products produced from California (Source: California Department of

Food and Agriculture)

The top three exports from Los agricultural import goods were transported

Angeles, California, in August 2022 were via the Port of Los Angeles in 201720.

raw cotton, frozen bovine meat, and other Prepared groceries, which comprised

nuts19. Almost 2.6 million metric tons of roughly 10% of the port's agricultural
16
Gerber and Surls
17
OEC. Los Angeles, CA. 2022. https://oec.world/en/profile/subnational_usa_port/los-angeles-ca-2704.
18
OEC
19
OEC
 7

imports, were the main agricultural import. imported into the country were transported

26 percent of all shrimp imported into the through Los Angeles21.

United States and 21 percent of all rice

Bibliography

Carlifornia Department of Water Resources. Water Resource Management Strategies. 2022.

https://water.ca.gov/Programs/California-Water-Plan/Water-Resource-Management-
Strategies.
CWEA. One Water LA: A Guide Towards Sustainable & Integrated Water Management . 2022.
https://www.cwea.org/news/one-water-la-a-guide-towards-sustainable-integrated-water-
management/.

20
USDA. Profiles of Top U.S. Agricultural Ports, 2017 update, Los Angeles, California. 2017.
https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/LosAngelesPort.pdf.
21
USDA. Profiles of Top U.S. Agricultural Ports, 2017 update, Los Angeles, California. 2017.
https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/LosAngelesPort.pdf.
 8

Gerber, J. and Surls, R. Los Angeles County's Forgotten Farming History. March 1, 2019.
https://www.pbssocal.org/shows/la-foodways/los-angeles-county-was-once-the-top-
agricultural-county-in-the-nation
OEC. Los Angeles, CA. 2022. https://oec.world/en/profile/subnational_usa_port/los-angeles-ca-
2704.
Public Works. Imported Water. 2022.
https://pw.lacounty.gov/landing/wr/watersupply/importedWater.cfm.
Public Works. Water Sources. 2022.
https://dpw.lacounty.gov/wwd/web/YourWater/WaterSources.aspx.
USDA. Profiles of Top U.S. Agricultural Ports, 2017 update, Los Angeles, Califonia. 2017.
https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/LosAngelesPort.pdf.
Water Education. WASTEWATER TREATMENT PROCESS IN CALIFORNIA. 2022.
https://www.watereducation.org/aquapedia/wastewater-treatment-process-california.