Arroyo Currents

     November 2017

Supervisors Scale Back Hahamongna Big Dig!

It's been a long campaign to reduce the negative impacts of the County Flood Control District's Big Dig in Hahamongna, but we scored a very significant victory on November 7 as the County Supervisor's voted to reduce the size of the sediment excavation program from 2.4 million cubic yards (mcy) to 1.7 mcy. Supervisor Kathryn Barger offered the key amendment that reduced the size of the plan and also included other important improvements to integrate the program with water conservation and stream restoration throughout the urban Arroyo Seco.

It's time to celebrate and to thank Supervisor Barger for listening to the voices of the community, but important issues still remain including:

  • The Flood Control District did not agree to reduce the number of truckloads per day from more than 400;

  • Nor will they reduce the impact area of precious riparian habitat that will be permanently desecrated;
  • The trucks will still spew deadly diesel pollution into our communities.

The Arroyo Seco Foundation and Pasadena Audubon and our attorneys are still on the job working to reduce these negative impacts of the Big Dig project. We are very grateful for your support.

Take the One Arroyo Survey!

Pasadena's One Arroyo, the advisory group formed by Mayor Tornek to shape a new vision for and commitment to the Arroyo, is sponsoring a survey to solicit public input about the future of the Arroyo.

With all the past neglect and competing uses in the Arroyo, it's important for the voices for a natural Arroyo to be heard. ASF's Arroyo River Parks approach and the US Army Corps Arroyo Seco Ecosystem Study are the visionary models, not cramming the Arroyo full of commercial facilities and new activities that don't belong there.

We Urge You Take the One Arroyo Survey

More than 500 volunteers, 2500 trees planted, 2300 hours of donated labor!

ASF's San Gabriel Mountains Reforestation Program

Arroyo Calendar

Saturday, Nov. 18, 10:00 am - 2:00 pmOne Arroyo Day — Come explore the Arroyo Seco and discover its rich natural and cultural history at One Arroyo Day! Find out about the One Arroyo vision, kids can earn a One Arroyo Nature Explorer Badge, and be part of a citywide celebration of all things Arroyo.

News of the Arroyo

An achive of news stories about and related to life in the Arroyo Seco.

Click on the title link to read the entire story

Title
Summary
County Supervisors Approve Smaller "Big Dig" Sediment Removal Project for Devil's Gate DamNovember 8, 2017 - The County Supervisors have taken decisive action to reduce the size of the Flood Control District's excavation program for Hahamongna Watershed Park, but major concerns still remain.
Supervisors approve big dig at Devil's Gate DamNovember 7, 2017 - Sharon McNary continues her sensationalistic coverage of the Big Dig. It's sad that KPCC's environmental coverage is so insensitive to environmental concerns.
LA County Supervisors approve scaled-down sediment removal project for Devil’s Gate Dam in PasadenaNovember 7, 2017 - In a major turnaround, the County Supervisors today voted to scale down the Flood Control District's massive sediment removal program for Hahamongna from 2.4 million cubic yards to 1.7 million.
Searching for a better dig for Hahamongna: Larry Wilson October 31, 2017 - Larry Wilson urges Supervisor Barger to "ask county staff to ratchet down the Big Dig into the Appropriately Scaled Dig, and then asks her colleagues on the Board of Supervisors to approve a new version of the plan to save Hahamongna and all that lives downstream."
Facing Rollbacks, California Must Protect Drinking Water, WetlandsOctober 26, 2017 - As the Trump administration prepares to weaken the Clean Water Rule, there are steps California’s Water Board can take to protect wetlands, streams and drinking water, says Richard Frank of the U.C. Davis School of Law.
Shrub-choked wildlands played a role in California firesOctober 24, 2017 - The recent horrendous Northern California fires have some real lessons for all Californians and specifically those who live near the Arroyo Seco or the San Gabriel Mountains. They roared out of forests and shrubland and attacked residential neighborhoods thought to be safe, partially due to the suppression of fires.
Rim of the Valley: New plan emerges to add nearly 191K acres to Santa Monica Mountains Recreation AreaOctober 19, 2017 - Congressman Adam Schiff is re-introducing his proposal to expand the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreational Area to include the Arroyo Seco and almost 200,000 acres of open space and parkland.
Pasadena vs. L.A. in a fight for purple-pipe waterOctober 17, 2017 - Los Angeles and Pasadena are wrangling over water from the LA/Glendale water recycling plant.
Get ready to see a plan for billions of dollars in parks and water improvements on California’s 2018 ballotOctober 16, 2017 - Look for major bonds on the November 2018 ballot to fund more investment in state parks and water facilities.
Health & Environmental Benefits of Natural Green Spaces in CitiesOctober 13, 2017 - Here is a summary of research from over sixty scientific journals and government agency reports documenting the wide-ranging benefits of natural green spaces in cities to public health and the environment prepared by Community Conservation Strategies. "With more than half of the world’s population residing in cities, it is essential that we create natural open space to make our cities healthy places in which to live."
Everyone Knew Houston’s Reservoirs Would Flood — Except for the People Who Bought Homes Inside ThemOctober 10, 2017 - Here's a keen analysis of the causes of the Houston flood disaster related to poor planning and in appropriate development from ProPublica and the Texas Tribune.
Arroyo Seco Foundation Remains Confident Devil's Gate Lawsuit Will PrevailOctober 11, 2017 - Pasadena Now provides a recap of the Arroyo Seco Quarterly Meeting, featuring updates on County Flood Control's Big Dig sediment mining and trucking program at Devil's Gate Dame in Hahamongna Watershed Park, the One Arroyo vision process, a neat video by high school students on the Arroyo, and trout scouting in Bear Canyon.

Arroyo Seco Foundation
570 W. Avenue 26 #450
Los Angeles, CA 90065
(323)405-7326
PO Box 91622
Pasadena, CA 91109-1622

Hahamongna Native Plant Nursery
Hahamongna Watershed Park
4550 Oak Grove Drive
Pasadena, CA 91103
(626) 657-0392