California is facing a water crisis. The state has one of the most engineered and over-subscribed water systems in the world, meaning significantly more water is promised to users than is actually available. And climate change is making the swings between drought and deluge more severe and unpredictable. For more than 100 years of urban development, Los Angeles (L.A.) has turned to engineered solutions and gray infrastructure to manage water. Rivers were channelized, and drinking water was delivered from lakes and rivers hundreds of miles away. As the cost of maintaining this gray infrastructure skyrockets and the services it provides fall short of meeting environmental standards, L.A. is evaluating the use of nature-based solutions to capture and clean rainwater and allow it to infiltrate the soil into aquifers beneath the city. Voters have shown support for natural infrastructure projects at the ballot box, especially where parks and open space needs can be addressed as co-benefits. And nature-based solutions can provide a greater suite of environmental benefits, often at lower costs than traditional alternatives. Current models of natural infrastructure do not employ components consistent with L.A.Õs ecology to make them sustainable in a future impacted by climate change. The Nature Conservancy (TNC) intends to plan and build scalable and replicable natural infrastructure projects that overcome barriers while restoring the multiple benefits that the area's rivers, soils, and habitats once provided to plants, wildlife, and people. In addition, L.A.Õs water resources are highly stressed by chronic drought, while its stormwater washes away across the cityÕs hardscapes into the ocean through channels like the L.A. River. This untreated runoff, the leading source of pollution affecting the cityÕs waterways, contains trash, animal waste, pesticides, fertilizers, bacteria, petroleum hydrocarbons, and toxic heavy metals (including lead, mercury, chromium, and arsenic), leading to well-documented health risks. This is particularly problematic in communities that lack parks and green space, where children may play in stormwater channels, local rivers, and washes. . Who is TNC and TNCÕs Principles of Corporate Engagement The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world's toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. We are tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters and oceans at unprecedented scale, and helping make cities more sustainable with ambitious 2030 goals. Working in more than 72 countries, we use a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners. To learn more, visit www.nature.org. For more information on TNCÕs 2030 Goals, go here: https://tnc.box.com/s/bcuyuinrtbdbesovxy5fr51h22amr3tc TNCÕs Principles of Corporate Engagement All of TNCÕs corporate engagements must have conservation benefits with lasting, measurable outcomes, and a direct connection to our mission. Please review our Principles of Corporate Engagement, which all engagements must meet: https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/who-we-are/how-we-work/working-with-companies/corporate-principles/