El Monte proposes to bury the storm drain between Merced Avenue and Brockway Street in a box culvert, with stormwater capture and a shared use path. For anyone buying or owning near that stretch, the draft study is the document to read first.
The environmental study is still a draft. It has not yet been adopted.
This explains the rule and project notice; it is not tax or legal advice.
What would change along the storm drain?
The Merced Avenue Stormwater Capture Project, CIP No. 089, would replace the existing concrete channel with a subsurface reinforced box culvert and add a bioswale, a stormwater capture system and pedestrian improvements.
The City of El Monte Public Works Division is the lead agency. Its proposal covers about 2.56 acres, including 0.35 miles of channel, on six parcels containing a drainage easement. The site is designated Public and Institutional in the city’s Land Use Policy Plan, with no change proposed.
Today, the site includes the concrete channel, concrete driveways at Merced Avenue and Brockway Street, an asphalt maintenance road and stormwater infrastructure. Ornamental trees line its northern and southern boundaries.
The surrounding land uses include the Rio Hondo Channel and single-family residences to the north, multi-family residences to the south and west, and Merced Avenue and single-family residences to the east. The proposal concerns this specific drainage corridor. The city proposes using funding from Los Angeles County’s Safe Clean Water Program.
How would the capture system and path work?
The proposed system would divert all dry-weather flows and some wet-weather flows for treatment, while the shared use path would connect Merced Linear Park to the Rio Hondo River Trail.
The existing channel receives flow from storm drains along Garvey Avenue and Merced Avenue. Under the proposal, diverted water would be pretreated and pumped into a vegetated bioswale. Water would then overflow back into the box culvert at its downstream end.
The bioswale would have a footprint of 0.3 acres, a ponding depth of 0.75 feet and a storage volume of 0.23 acre-feet.
Above ground, a raised crosswalk on Merced Avenue would connect to the path over the buried culvert, continuing to a raised crosswalk on Brockway Street. Plans also call for pedestrian gates at both streets, motion detection lighting along the path and an 8-foot tall welded wire mesh fence along the southern perimeter. If your property borders the corridor, those are concrete details to review with Public Works.
When would construction affect nearby streets?
Construction is anticipated to commence in May 2027 and be completed by December 2028, with temporary lane closures or traffic diversions possible along Merced Avenue and Brockway Street.
That schedule is an estimate in the project documents. The study describes the possible street disruptions as temporary and intermittent during that period. If required, detour signs would direct traffic onto adjacent streets.
For construction hours, the study cites Municipal Code Section 8.36.050. It says work would occur during the permitted hours of 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
What does the draft say about noise and trees?
The draft finds construction noise less than significant at all studied receiver locations, while leaving the fate of any specific private tree unstated.
For noise, the study used an 80 dBA Leq daytime threshold. Its highest calculated construction noise levels at nearby receiver locations were 71.0 to 73.8 dBA Leq. It also found that the finished project would add no new stationary noise sources. These are the study’s findings.
A certified arborist inventoried trees in the channel and directly adjacent private rear yards that may be impacted by construction. The study says none of the inventoried trees meets the protected native tree criteria under the city’s Tree Preservation Ordinance, Section 14.03.
That finding does not tell you whether a particular private tree will be removed. For that question, read the arborist report in Appendix B or ask Public Works.
Mitigation BIO-1 requires a qualified biologist’s preconstruction nesting bird survey if construction occurs during February 1 through August 31. The survey must occur no earlier than seven days before construction starts.
What can buyers and owners check for their property?
You can check the project documents against your property’s location, but the draft does not establish changes to a nearby home’s flood risk or insurance.
The sources say nothing about flood zones, flood insurance or flood risk changes for nearby homes. Don’t treat the stormwater capture proposal as evidence of any of those outcomes.
The study requires a design-level geotechnical investigation before project grading or building permits, including evaluation of liquefaction and lateral spreading. That requirement, GEO-2, is for the project; it is not a finding about a particular home.
For your transaction review, the natural hazard disclosure guide and pre-listing inspection guide provide related reading. If you’re preparing to sell, use the California seller disclosure guide alongside your review of the city documents.
Where can you read the draft and comment?
You can read the documents through the city’s Current Projects page and submit written comments to Public Works during the notice’s stated October 1 to October 31, 2026 period.
The notice also prints an earlier September 28, 2026 deadline, so confirm the deadline with Public Works at 626-580-2058.
Written comments go to City of El Monte, Public Works Division, 11333 Valley Boulevard, El Monte, California 91731. The notice also gives an email address for comments.
Hard copies are available at City Hall West Planning Division, 11333 Valley Boulevard; El Monte Library, 3224 Tyler Avenue; and Norwood Library, 4550 Peck Road. Online documents are available through the Current Projects page.
The city has prepared an initial study, proposes a mitigated negative declaration and invites written comments. You can review the circulation draft for the project description and mitigation requirements.
The short version
El Monte proposes a buried storm drain, stormwater capture improvements and a shared use path between Merced Avenue and Brockway Street.
Construction is anticipated from May 2027 to December 2028. For a nearby property, check the proposed path, fence, lighting, possible street disruptions and arborist report. The draft does not answer property-specific questions about tree removal, flood risk or insurance.
For a separate look at your home’s value, use the home value tool.
Common questions
Is the Merced Avenue Stormwater Capture Project approved?
The city has prepared an initial study and proposes a mitigated negative declaration. The study is a circulation draft and has not yet been adopted.
When is construction anticipated?
Construction is anticipated to commence in May 2027 and be completed by December 2028.
Will trees in private rear yards be removed?
The study does not state whether any specific private tree will be removed. Owners can read the arborist report in Appendix B or ask Public Works.
When can you submit written comments?
The notice states October 1 to October 31, 2026, but also prints an earlier deadline. Confirm the deadline with Public Works.
