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Army Corps Arroyo Seco Ecosystem Study — Brookside Area

Central Arroyo Seco (2.5 miles in length, which includes Brookside Park and the Rose Bowl): From Devil's Gate Dam, the Arroyo Seco flows through a short natural canyon under the 210 Freeway; at the northern end of Brookside Golf Course, it is diverted into a trapezoidal concrete channel extending from to Seco Street. South of Seco Street, the Arroyo Seco transitions to a rectangular concrete channel, extending 750 feet south to the natural unlined streamzone passing under the Holly Street and the SR-134 bridges before reaching the Colorado Street Bridge.

Potential projects:

Brookside Park Golf Course

  • The Brookside Park Golf Course Arroyo Seco Channel Naturalization project is an integrated recreation, water resource, and habitat enhancement project within Brookside Park extending from Devil's Gate Dam downstream to the Colorado Street Bridge that will improve public safety, recreation, flood control, sedimentation, water quality, and ecosystem health not only in the Brooksdie Park Central Arroyo area, but also in downstream reaches extending to the Los Angeles River and beyond. This project culminates years of grassroots planning efforts and analysis focusing on Southern California ecosystems that are becoming increasingly endangered and dynamic geomorphic processes that can no longer be ignored. This golf course has over two hundred acres of potential riparian habitat. Restoring the stream and creating a river-friendly golf course will integrate a habitat restoration project with a unique public golfing venue.

The Rose Bowl

  • The Rose Bowl is one of the most iconic images of Pasadena, and is one of the biggest attractions in Southern California. The natural setting and the beautiful environment are the features that are most often cited for the Rose Bowl's unique appeal. While this is undeniable, the potential for improving the natural ecosystem function and habitat value of the area and enhancing the aesthetics further has often been overlooked. The gigantic parking area of the Rose Bowl is land use in direct contradiction to the natural ecosystem and watershed management principles. The floodplain of the Arroyo Seco near the Rose Bowl has been robbed of its habitat and biodiversity. ASF's Central Arroyo Stream Restoration Program (2008), which restored the native Arroyo chub, implemented a very successful land use scheme that is a model of how to provide the millions of visitors to the area with their recreational and parking needs, while restoring high quality ecosystem function in the area.

Preferred Projects

These projects were recommended to the US Army Corps of Engineers as part of the Arroyo River Parks Program in 2016.

Arroyo River Parks

River Parks Map

Let the River Flow

Stewards of the Arroyo Seco, PO Box 92722, Pasadena, CA 91109-2722 info@arroyoseco.org