News of the Arroyo
Title: | Arroyo Seco may be returned to natural look |
Subtitle: | |
Date: | 2003-04-14 |
Summary: | April 14, 2003 -- "Many conservationists are betting the Arroyo Seco will be the first to be returned to its natural state," writes Lisa Faught in today's Star News. The article covers an overview of various advocates and restoration projects. |
Author: | Lisa Gaught, Staff Writer |
Publication: | Pasadena Star News |
Content: | ARROYO SECO -- As Southern California sees a revival of rivers, many conservationists are betting the Arroyo Seco will be the first to be returned to its natural state. Projects are already under way to add a natural element to key sections of the San Gabriel and Los Angeles rivers but nothing so radical as removing the concrete casing, as proposed for the Arroyo Seco. Through a combination of geography, vision and luck, Pasadena\'s concrete-lined channel is poised to lead the way to stream restoration. As it turns out, much of the land along its banks already belongs to the public, it runs through a manageable number of jurisdictions, a coalition of community groups is rallying behind the cause and reams of research have dissected every inch of the watershed. \"For the Los Angeles and San Gabriel rivers, there\'s intense development right up to the channelized edges. The Arroyo Seco having green space is unique that way,\' said Sarah Easley, design associate for North East Trees. \"It would be a good test case.\' The Arroyo Seco stretches from the San Gabriel Mountains to the Los Angeles River, spanning 22 miles. As it trickles down from the mountains, water collects behind Devil\'s Gate Dam in Hahamongna Watershed Park, then cuts to the Los Angeles River via a concrete channel. The Arroyo Seco once meandered its way through the land, but heavy floods throughout the region spurred the Army Corps of Engineers and the county Department of Public Works to harness the river in concrete between 1934 and 1947. The same flood control imperative led the Corps to encase rivers in concrete throughout the county, including the Los Angeles and San Gabriel rivers. But over the last two decades, the region has seen a growing movement to restore rivers and preserve watersheds. Many river advocates hope to see a full-scale removal of the concrete channels crisscrossing the landscape and the return of natural rivers, starting with the Arroyo Seco. \"If it\'s done the right way, we\'re all hoping it will be a model for the rest of the L.A. basin,\' said Lewis MacAdams, board chair for the Friends of the Los Angeles River. \"There\'s more fear of change operating than anything else. It\'s the power of the concrete cult.\' Still, the potential of restoring the Arroyo Seco should not overshadow efforts on other rivers, said Rick Harter, spokesman for the Los Angeles and San Gabriel Rivers Watershed Council. Although the Arroyo Seco may be the most likely candidate for total restoration, projects to expand green beltways along channelized rivers should not be overlooked, he said. \"When you look at (the Arroyo Seco) as a whole, that\'s probably the case,\' Harter said. \"But the Arroyo Seco is definitely not the only game in town. There are other places where restoration activities can occur and should occur.\' Some projects on the table include restoration of the upper reaches of the San Gabriel River, preservation of wetlands at the mouth of the Los Angeles River and increasing open space at Compton Creek. The possibilities for restoring the San Gabriel River are great only 10 miles out of 40 are channelized, said Eileen Takata, designer for Moore Iacofano Goltsman, Inc. Most of the river is soft-bottomed, with concrete levees on its banks to prevent flooding. Several sections already wend through swaths of open space, such as the Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area and Whittier Narrows. But it courses through 19 cities before dumping into the Pacific Ocean, she said. \"The hope is that people will embrace the river, to give it a positive image instead of a non- image. All these freeways go over it and no one realizes it,\' Takata said. But, \"it\'s not going to happen on the San Gabriel River right away.\' Many in the river movement believe attention on any of the rivers in the county is a boon for all the more river awareness, the more the movement grows. In fact, the river community frequently shares resources and pools talents, no matter which watershed, river or tributary at stake. Despite the camaraderie, a certain element of competition still exists limited state and federal funds means some projects bring in cash while others starve. For example, the San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy, which will award $16 million in June, recently received about 100 applications requesting more than $100 million in park projects. \"If it\'s competition, it\'s good competition. A lot of people look for inspiration from other projects in the county,\' said Tim Brick, managing director of the Arroyo Seco Foundation. \"When you get down to it, you know there\'s a limited amount of money.\' But some conservationists say the recent county involvement in the Arroyo Seco is a reason for hope. The county Department of Public Works and Army Corps of Engineers the same agencies that built the Arroyo Seco channel in the first place are now looking at the possibility of taking sections of the concrete out. The study could bring federal dollars to restoring the river, said Dan Sharp, civil engineer for the county Department of Public Works. \"Initially, when the Corps put the channels in, they were absolutely doing their job by providing flood control to residents,\' Sharp said. \"Now, public use, water quality, habitat enhancement along with flood control has become the preferred method of managing watersheds. It\'s not a new science, but just a different method of looking at how to solve a problem.\' -- Lisa Faught can be reached at (626) 578-6300, Ext. 4496, or by e-mail at lisa.faught@sgvn.com. |
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