Los Angeles, CA

Los Angeles Looks to Re-Green its River

Ok, Angelenos, imagine this: a picturesque, 30-mile-long expanse of green, complete with parks and paths and planted with native, drought-resistant vegetation all along the Los Angeles River. Imagine rollerblading and pushing jogging strollers and barbecuing right on the banks of the historic waterway...

Uh… did someone say Los Angeles River? You mean that malodorous cesspool of a concrete ditch?

That’s right: You may have trouble picturing it, but L.A. officials have decided it’s high-time they return parts of this concrete jungle of a traffic-jammed city… to nature. They’ve elected to add bike and pedestrian paths, parks and greenways as part of the Los Angeles River Revitalization Plan.

Central to the plan is changing the way L.A. residents use—and view—the L.A. River, which was infamously paved over in the 1950’s to spare the city from devastating floods. The river’s natural flood plain spreads over miles and miles of urban development.

What was once a source of fresh water for the city, is now a concrete channel that runs from Canoga Park in the west end of the San Fernando Valley, through Compton , to its mouth in Long Beach. Polluted by garbage and urban runoff, it runs through wealthy suburban neighborhoods as well as economically-depressed, inner-city areas and industrial zones.

“The river has been maligned, neglected and overlooked for decades,” says project engineer Carol Armstrong, “Now people are starting to think of it as more than just a flood control area.”

Ideas to change the river have been circulating for a while, but under the leadership of City Councilmember and River Committee Chair Ed Reyes, an official plan was adopted in 2007. Los Angeles is looking at a 25- to 50- year time frame for completion and a projected two- to seven- billion dollars in expenses. The move is a bold one, considering that officials are investing in something that will be completed long after their terms of office are over.

So what does it include? Over 30 miles of the river will be transformed into a continuous greenway filled with parks and recreational paths. In efforts to be resource savvy, native drought-tolerant vegetation will be planted and no new sources of water will be introduced. The river is sourced by treated wastewater and storm runoff. It rarely sees a gushing torrent of water rushing through, and some areas are dry for most of the year. A complex system of inflatable dams will be used to create ponds along the length of the river during drier days.

“This will become a cherished natural resource of the city,” Armstrong says. “It can forge habitat linkages, and help with our city’s urban heat island effect. Increases in bicycle commuting could reduce cars on the road thereby addressing greenhouse gas problems.”

Could the revitalization of the L.A. River be a panacea for Los Angeles’ sustainability woes? About 50 years – and more than 5 billion dollars – will tell.

Photo Caption: This is an artist's rendering of parks and pathways along the Los Angeles River of the future. City officials expect the Los Angeles River Revitalization Plan, which includes parks, greenspace and over thirty miles of continuous recreational paths, to be fully implemented in 25 to 50 years. (Rendering courtesy of Monica Valencia)