South Los Angeles Wetlands Park (man-made wetlands)

5413 Avalon Blvd., Los Angeles, CA  90011

Google Earth Map Showing The Location Of Stop #4

Compton in South Los Angeles seems an odd location for a wetland – especially since it is located 3 miles from the Los Angeles River.  The South Los Angeles Wetlands Park is a man-made wetland, collecting runoff from 600 acres of the surrounding urban area into a nine-acre site.   The area is a mixed-use facility, incorporating a nature park with a sustainable stormwater treatment wetland.  Up to 680,000 gallons of polluted urban runoff per day can enter into the site where it will be treated in three-cell treatment wetlands.  Each cell has features that can be found in natural riparian wetland – channels, deep and emergent marshes, in addition to riparian and upland areas.

The site has won several awards, including the 2014 Excellence in Environmental Engineering and Science™ Competition from the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists, and the 2015 Envision® Platinum award from the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure.