La Paz Mayor Milena Quiroga kicked off Operation Hurricanes 2026 on Monday, a citywide campaign to clean and dredge the arroyos, drainage channels and stream beds that carry rainwater through the capital of Baja California Sur before the July through October rainy season.
Crews began work at the El Cajoncito stream, removing vegetation, trash and accumulated sediment from beneath the J. Mújica bridge. The drainage channel behind the Villas del Encanto and El Pescador neighborhoods carries runoff through the Cola de la Ballena area and into the Sea of Cortez.
“We are already working on the Hurricanes 2026 operation because in La Paz we all take care of each other,” Quiroga said. “Above all, these preventive actions help ensure that rainfall, while beneficial, does not become a disaster.”
Why Clogged Arroyos Are a Citywide Problem
The cleanup follows alarming conditions documented in May 2026. Various stream beds cutting through the city were found clogged with household waste, plastics, old tires and mounds of construction rubble, according to a report by Círculo Político BCS. Residents of neighborhoods near the arroyos reported that private individuals and light cargo trucks arrive at night to dump solid waste, taking advantage of the lack of surveillance.
When arroyos are blocked, heavy rains trigger street flooding, sewage overflows and beach closures due to elevated bacteria levels. La Paz receives roughly 90% of its annual rainfall between July and October, and tropical storms can overwhelm water treatment systems, sending untreated sewage through the stream channels and into the bay.
Marine Life and Tourism at Stake
Arroyos act as direct channels for city runoff into the Sea of Cortez. Plastic, cans and other debris swept into the ocean can be ingested by sea turtles, birds and whales, causing injury, starvation or death. City officials say the cleanup also protects La Paz’s Blue Flag beach certifications, a key draw for visitors and a standard that requires clean water quality at certified beaches.
Environmental activists have argued that the long-term solution goes beyond annual cleanups. They want the city to enforce severe penalties on those who use the stream beds as illegal dump sites, since every piece of waste left in the riverbeds eventually ends up in the bay.
Quiroga urged La Paz residents to keep their yards and surrounding areas free of debris to support the prevention effort. The last major hurricane to strike La Paz was Category 4 Odile in 2014, which knocked out power for more than a week and caused significant damage across the city.
This story was first reported by Gringo Gazette.