Devil's Gate Dam: media statement from the Director of LA County Public Works

The County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works, at the direction of the Board of Supervisors, has engaged the public in identifying a method of reducing flood risk for communities downstream of Devil’s Gate Dam in a way that is economically viable, socially acceptable, and environmentally sound. 

As a result of millions of tons of sediment being washed into County flood protection facilities after the Station Fire, LA County Public Works formed a community task force, an executive-level working group of environmental and municipal stakeholders, and held more than a dozen public meetings on the issue of sediment removal and management. Our process of community engagement has led us to a number of sediment management alternatives for Devil’s Gate Dam that preserve a substantial amount of the existing habitat and identify additional areas for restoration within the reservoir, allow for increased use of stormwater as a source of local drinking water, and provide a sustainable reservoir maintenance program for the future.

Community engagement is essential to addressing the tremendous challenge of managing the sediment within our flood protection facilities. We are committed to a healthy public dialogue to lead us to viable solutions.

GAIL FARBER
DIRECTOR
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS

Note: An image and details of LA County Public Works’ Environmentally Superior Alternative for sediment removal and management at Devil's Gate Dam are available

at:http://dpw.lacounty.gov/wrd/Projects/DevilGate/display.cfm?Project=Alt_3_Description