Inter-Departmental City Team Tasked to Develop, Execute Sierra Madre Median Project

An inter-departmental team representing three Pasadena city departments has been established to develop and execute a multi-year project to enhance the Sierra Madre Median, Pasadena Water and Power announced last week.

“The inter-departmental team was established to develop and execute a plan for a sustainable median project that offers many community benefits,” said PWP Interim General Manager Jeffrey Kightlinger.

Aside from PWP representatives, members of the team include representatives from Public Works, and Parks, Recreation and Community Services.

Kightlinger said the median project will be developed in two phases over five years “to address long and short-term objectives and will include rainwater and stormwater capture, infiltration basins, drought-tolerant and native plants, trees, and other permaculture features to enhance soil health and moisture retention, cool the landscape, and sequester carbon.”

The first phase of the Sierra Madre Median project includes the building of a system to bring water from the Jones reservoir across to the median, to irrigate the trees and future plantings.

According to Kightlinger, the system has been completed and now brings the water to the median to irrigate trees and to replenish groundwater.

The first phase of the project also includes designing and building a permaculture feature known as Hügels.

Hügels reportedly enhance soil health, sequester carbon, cool the landscape, and reduce the need for irrigation.

Kightlinger announced that just last April, the PWP hosted a workshop where 25 residents built two Hügels using hundreds of re-used cardboard boxes, trunks from fallen trees, twigs and green waste collected from Pasadena parks.

The Hügels will be tested by a soil scientist over the next 12 months to gauge the impact on soil health, moisture retention, and benefits for adjacent trees.

Kightlinger said the completed Hügels will be planted in the fall.

Projects under Phase I of the median project are expected to be completed by December 2022.

To learn more about the Sierra Madre Median Project, visit https://www.PWPweb.com//SierraMadreMedian. To learn more about building Hügels, visit https://www.PWPweb.com/Hugel.