The Ballona Creek Watershed covers approximately 130 square miles located in the Western portion of the Los Angeles Basin and is composed of the Culver City, Wilshire, and Hollywood sub-watersheds. Most of the Ballona Creek drainage network has been modified into storm drains, underground culverts, and open concrete channels.

Ballona Creek is an open channel between Venice Boulevard and Pickford Street and its confluence at the Santa Monica Bay which corresponds to the approximate proposed location of the Ballona Trash Interceptor™ Pilot Project.