Pacific Southwest, Region 9
Serving: Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Pacific Islands, Tribal Nations
Approaching Zero Trash
Los Angeles River
The Los Angeles River has been designated as an impaired waterbody due to the large volume of trash it receives from the watershed. To address this problem a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), which establishes baseline trash loads to the river from the watershed, has been incorporated into the area stormwater permit. The permit requires each permittee to implement trash reduction measures for discharges through the storm drain system with an emphasis on the installation of full capture devices. The stormwater permit incorporates progressive reductions in trash discharges to the Los Angeles River, reaching a zero level in 2016.
Each pie chart size represents the amount of trash generated in each city, and the red area shows the annual percentage of trash remaining to be captured. Ten cities have installed full capture devices on their storm drain catch basins. Some cities have implemented partial capture and/or institutional control measures. The remaining cities are still under planning for partial capture and/or institutional control measures or are waiting for approved state funding from the L.A. Gateway Authority project to implement full capture devices.
Los Angeles River Watershed Trash Abatement Progress (PDF) (1 pg map, 856K)
Trash Total Maximum Daily Loads for the Los Angeles River Watershed (PDF) (52 pp, 2.0M) 
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area stormwater permit sets trash control guidelines for discharges through the storm drain system. The permit covers Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, and San Mateo counties and the cities of Vallejo, Fairfield, and Suisun City. By February 2012 the permittees must provide a baseline trash load estimate, a list of trash hotspots targeted for annual cleanup, and an implementation plan for best management practices to meet trash reduction milestones over the next decade. A trash reduction crediting program will be used to account for best management practice effectiveness. The permit establishes goals for trash reduction beginning in 2014 and reaching a zero level by 2022.
California Regional Water Quality Control Board San Francisco Bay Region Municipal Regional Stormwater NPDES Permit (PDF) (279 pp, 10.0M)
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