Los Angeles County residents plagued by stench from channel

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (AP) — Officials say levels of wretched-smelling hydrogen sulfide gas that have plagued south Los Angeles County communities for weeks are declining as authorities use various mitigation methods in a flood control channel emitting the gross odors.

The problem was reported Oct. 7 and traced to the 15-mile-long Dominguez Channel, which flows into Los Angeles harbor.

The county public works director said Friday the gas is being created by a natural phenomenon called anaerobic digestion which occurs when bacteria break down vegetation when there’s a lack of oxygen in the water.

Mitigation measures include spraying the channel with an odor neutralizer and installing bubblers to aerate the water.