An exceptionally wet winter last year helped the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power refill Silver Lake after nearly two years in which the decommissioned reservoir sat empty. But keeping the lake full presents its own challenges.
The water level drops about 5 feet every year due to evaporation and seepage, engineering bureau project manager Nadir Shah told the city’s Board of Public Works on Friday.
To compensate for this, DWP pumps 418 acre-feet of water into the Silver Lake Reservoir and its smaller neighbor, Ivanhoe, yearly. That’s enough to satisfy the demands of more than 800 households over the same time period, based on Metropolitan Water District calculations.
Continuing to fill the reservoirs—now simply man-made lakes—with drinking water would be a waste of an increasingly precious resource.
But water officials agreed to keep both bodies of water full when planning the piping project that required Silver Lake to be emptied in 2015.
Given the amount necessary to keep the reservoir complex topped off, DWP is going to find new sources of water for the task.
It will rely largely on groundwater, which it plans to begin pumping from a well northeast of the reservoir complex sometime this spring. The agency is also working with the public works department to build an $8 million stormwater capture system expected to redirect 159 acre-feet of water into the reservoir annually (about 38 percent of what’s needed to keep the lake full).
The public works board approved preliminary plans for the new system on Friday. Expected to be complete by 2021, it would source water from dozens of catch basins surrounding the reservoir complex.
Since neither the groundwater nor the stormwater will be treated, the water quality in the reservoirs won’t be as pristine as in years past. To prevent algae from covering the surface of the lakes (and to avoid unpleasant smells), DWP will install aeration and filtration systems to mix up the water and keep it from stagnating. Those should be in place by fall 2020.
The agency is also developing a master plan to transition the Silver Lake Reservoir into its new role as a scenic body of water and public space.
- ‘A long time coming’: Planning the future of the Silver Lake Reservoir [Curbed LA]
- Refilling the Silver Lake reservoir is a huge mistake [Curbed LA]
Comments
They should have never refilled this thing. The amount of resources – both financial and water – that we have to devote to these NIMBYs is atrocious.
By LADude on 03.26.18 10:18am
why not turn it into a mini version of central park? fountains, small bodies of water, tennis courts, a theater, a playfield, etc? throw in a few statues for good measure. maybe a fishing pond?
you can easily fund the maintenace/landscaping with funds from event ticket sales. done correctly, this could actually turn a profit for the city. you could even fill it in free of charge, just allow the dumping of concrete and dirt from construction sites. maybe get sponsorship from businesses or solicit charitable orgnisations/people? free wifi with forced ads?
since the neighbourhood is full of patchouli scented, kumbaya singing, save the world types, we must also give back to the community. how about some resources dedicated to at risk youth, drug addicts and bums? maybe some people from skid row can be relocated there? campgrounds?
namaste.
By Люцифер on 03.26.18 12:04pm
Unfortunately the current regime at the SLNC has been doing everything in their power to make sure that this doesn’t turn into the public park that everyone is asking for.
By Evgenitpants on 03.26.18 1:05pm
slnc sounds like a bunch of hypocritical wankers. talking up all this bullshit about inclusivity and diversity on their website, yet actively plotting against the community? THEY ARE RACISTS!
i think a march on silverlake’s in order, why are there NOT massive protests?
WHOSE LAKE? OUR LAKE! NO PARK, NO PEACE, DISBAND THE GOLDEN FLEECE.
By Люцифер on 03.26.18 2:15pm
So we’re all paying a bunch of taxes to keep this thing nice, and the local NIMBYs, sorry I mean residents, want to prevent any plan from making it a better space for the public?
By disqusted on 03.26.18 3:29pm
To celebrate climate change obliviousness and fossil-fuel addicted drivers, fill it with crude oil. For the holiday season, float 1001 plastic water bottles with battery-operated plastic tea lights. Change the name of SL Blvd. to "The Road to Hell."
By keenplanner on 03.26.18 4:54pm
"…water officials agreed to keep both bodies of water full when planning the piping project that required Silver Lake to be emptied in 2015."
Reporting more deeply by answering why this decision was made is an egregious omission that would add important context to this article.
By BingoWest on 03.27.18 8:59am
I always flush before using the toilet.
The routine is generally:
1) Flush before use.
2) Wipe any splashes off before papering.
3) Use paper or seat cover if public.
4) Use paper to create a shield to keep the wang from touching the bowl in front if public.
5) Sit and defecate. Generally for each piece of feces I flush, I also flush out urine. Pretty much anything hits the water flush.
6) While waiting I tend to flush while idle to keep the pipes clean.
7) Wipe with 10-15 flushable wipes. Flush every 4-5 wipes. Keep flushable-wiping until all stains are gone from all angles (front back, back front, leg up, etc).
8) Flush at least one extra time as flushable wipes can sometimes clump up.
I also sometimes rig the toilet to continuously flush to clean it.
I also like to urinate into running water, so I tend to pee into sinks that have running water. This way I ensure the best flow characteristics.
I promise to waste water as much as I can because I have unmetered water. I promise. This is to force our stupid scum government who lets aliens show up here on our dime to build new infrastructure rather than have me live Amish style because they are morons who cant plan ahead. I leave the toilet rigged on, shower , a tub and 2 sinks on all the time to protest our governments.
Mick mickrussom Russom
By mickrrussom on 03.27.18 12:30pm
all that does is harm the landlord and cause an eviction / non-renewal. i’ve had commercial tenants pull stunts like that. one notable bunch of fuckers (a botanica) were letting their scumbag son fill his mobile car wash trucks on my dime. 17 years in business, same location, tossed out on the street. fuck ’em.
By Люцифер on 03.27.18 9:04pm
Not too hard to figure it out people.
Since the "sea levels are rising" and it’s not for drinking, then FILL IT WITH SEA WATER.
Problem solved.
If not, float some solar panels in the shape of water lilies so they look cute, and use the power to draw water from the air. System called Skysource will take the evaporated water and condense it back to potable water, as done in 3rd world nations, or Venice beach.
It’s not that hard, water is abundant. Creating scarcity with fear is too easy, but it’s just as easy to apply our knowledge to solve problems and fill the damn "lake".
By Erin_Nirvana on 03.28.18 6:47pm
I really think outsiders who are strangely against our reservoir need to think good and hard about how much the Silver Lake community has contributed and continues to contribute culturally. Our reach and influence extends worldwide. If any community has earned the right for just a small amount of special consideration it is we.
By lady who lunches on 03.29.18 8:47am
I’m going to send you the bill for the optometrist, who just had to fix my eyes after I rolled them too hard reading your comment.
By disqusted on 03.29.18 12:09pm
haha! pretty sure she was being sarcastic, "cultural contributions" and worldwide "reach and influence" of silverlake XD
By Люцифер on 03.29.18 12:49pm
considering this resevoir has been permanently decomissioned, it’s INCREDIBLY IRRESPONSIBLE to keep refilling it, especially considering the perpetual water shortages in california. why should taxpayers subsidise an artificial lake?
during the last drought, i’m sure half of silverlake was pissing and moaning about the clowns in beverly hills, malibu, etc. and how they were "wasting water" on their lawns. glad to see the tables turned on those smug assholes, it couldn’t have happened to a nicer bunch of cunts.
drain this resevoir, shut it down and turn it into a park.
By Люцифер on 03.29.18 12:48pm