User:LuckyDatLlama/Los Angeles River

The Los Angeles River

Flow of the Los Angeles River toward the Pacific Ocean

Los Angeles is located in Southern California, and owes its growth and reputation to the "Rio De Porciúncula", also known as the LA River. The river first began as a small stream that arose beneath the San Fernando Valley running south toward the Pacific Ocean. The river highly impacted the region of southern California, as it ran dry during the summers and flooded during winter months. The city of los Angeles was first established when Spanish explorers and settlers built indigenous communities alongside the bed of the river. Indigenous communities adapted to the climate surrounding the river, maximizing agricultural yields by rerouting the natural flow of the river and constructing water wheels along the river. Until the 1900's the river was known to supply enough water to incorporate a system of wells to be built in order to supply freshwater to the city. The heavy flow of the Los Angeles River presented many issues, as it began to get exploited as a sewer system. Along with these uses, populations surrounding the river often tossed feces and waste into the river, along with dead dogs and horses (occasional human dead), in hopes that they would get washed down stream and released to the open ocean waters. The arrival of the railroad accelerated the advancement in urbanization, as various government bodies subdued the river by reducing its flow. These efforts failed, as the river flourished and and washed away settlements and destroyed structures meant to contain its flow. The incidents revolving around the LA river resulted in the Army Corps of Engineers blocking its path through a cement wall. The actions imposed by civilization caused a vast decrease in groundwater as floodwater from the LA river is rerouted to flush out into the sea.

History

Colonization

Los Angeles River, Flood of 1926

The Los Angeles River was once home to a group known as the Tongva. The LA river provided a rich plant and animal habitat that flourished across the semi-arid region. Years later in 1769, Spanish explorers named the river "Rio De Porciúncula". Spanish explorers and settlers established communities alongside the river and carved the way for the city of Los Angeles. The river soon became a foundation for human settlement for centuries. The establishment of communities maximized agricultural yields, by damming the river and installing water wheels and canals to irrigate croplands.

The year 1848 marked the end of the Mexican-American war (1846-1848), which resulted in the United States taking control of the entire northern part of the republic of Mexico. The key prize of this war, was the possession of California. After being granted statehood in 1850, the following year marked the economic boom of present day Los Angeles. Since 1851,there was a drastic increase in population within this state as hundreds moved to the water front. Through generations, representations of a decades-long exploitation of its habitat, during which generations of settlers and city managers drained, rerouted, polluted and overpopulated its basins watershed. In the 1930's, came a rapid expansion of Los Angeles, and as a result expansion of urban development within areas prone to severe flooding arose. During time of flooding, this region would be hit with a major river flood as a result, extensive amounts of land would be damaged. Along with land; homes would be torn down, livestock and human lives were lost. Severe flooding has encouraged those living near the river to adapt and construct further away from the river in order to prevent loss from flooding.

Segregation

Despite the heavy flood flows of the river during winter months, the LA river has become a refuge for marginalized communities, such as migrant, homeless, and diverse sociocultural communities. The river itself is a geographical divide between East L.A., which is largely Latinx, and predominantly white, wealthy West L.A. These minority groups established themselevs along the banks of the river, using fish for food. These practices resemble the behaviors of the Tongva Indigenous communities, that were once native to this environment. A distinguished link between the LA river and marginalization can be seen through time as a 1909 New York Times article describes these communities as poor transient communities, that consume diseased fish to sustain themselves(CITE). Years following the Mexican- American war exemplify these efforts, as articles depict African-American children fishing in the river alongside a "hobo" camp and junkyard.

They L.A. river proposed an ideology of redlining as it produces landscapes of segregation that created racial and ethnic enclaves. These enclaves are recognized to be cities consisting of minority groups; Chinatown, Bronzeville and Sonora town. These latino and Asian communities are disproportionally challenged by deteriorating social, economic and environmental conditions. Remediation efforts in order to tame the river along with the construction of highways in the 1950s and 1960s displaced hundreds of thousands of individuals. These implications lead to poor air quality and increased exposure to diseases that inhibit poor health.

Urban Planning and Sustainability

The Los Angeles River has recently become the forefront of the cities planning conversations as the city of Los Angeles has undergone severe cultural and environmental revolution. The loss of sustainable ecosystems for plant life has led to the decline of palm trees, symbolizing the city of Los Angeles. In an effort to revisualize the city in order to create a new visual icon, efforts have been focused on incorporating new urban development to promote the revitalization of the river.

Remediation

The Federal Control Act of 1936

Cement for paving the Los Angeles River, 1939.

The federal Flood Control Act of 1936 (FCA) allowed for the engineers of U.S. Army to cement and pave a path for the LA river. Five million barrels of cement were poured into the path of the LA river causing a once spontaneous free flowing river to be contained within a singular path. This construction often caused the river to simply be identified as a storm drain for run-off. some more information here about the environmental effects that this had if appropriate?

Los Angeles River Revitalization Master Plan

In 2020, Los Angeles County released an updated 2020 LA River Master Plan detailing plans for the river over the next 25 years. The current plan addresses 9 goals related to flood risk, parks, ecosystems, access, arts and culture, housing, engagement and education, water supply, and water quality. The plan for decreasing flood risk consists of preserving and increasing flood risk capacity, reducing flow into the river, incorporating climate change research, and increasing emergency planning, public awareness, and management practices. In order to create inclusive, open areas, LA county's actions include making 51 continuous miles of open space, finishing the LA River Trail, providing amenities, implementing multi-use functionality, and promoting public safety. The third goal of the 2020 LA River Master Plan is to support flourishing ecosystems by increasing habitat and ecosystem function, improve plant biodiversity including native species, connecting habitat to support wildlife, and increasing environmentally-friendly practices. The LA county goal of equal access to the river is outlined by creating access points and gateways and promoting safe transportation to the river. The objective of enhancing arts and culture is planned to be achieved by creating a 51-mile arts and culture corridor, identifying and supporting cultures, and involving artists and cultural groups in the design process. The next goal outlined in the LA River Master Plan addresses impacts to the housing economy and the homeless community through incorporating the Affordable Housing Coordinating Committee in planning, creating mapping and assessment tools, increasing affordable housing, securing funding, and enhancing outreach to homeless populations. The actions to enhance engagement and education include providing spaces for all ages to learn, developing new educational materials, involving aspects from indigenous peoples, and promoting the river as an economic asset to nearby communities. The eighth goal in the master plan is to improve water supply through diverting and treating stormwater and dry weather flows before they flow into the river, supporting efficient water usage, creating better operations, maintenance, and measures. The final goal is to improve water quality by developing water quality projects, working with watershed management groups, raising public awareness, and improving facility operations and maintenance.

Revitalization inequity

Low-income and poverty concentrated areas have dramatically less access to park resources then dominated areas. This allocation of green spaces, are not primarily focused on income status, but racial orientation. Funding patterns of recreational areas are disproportionately distributed among Latin and asian communities.

Past Revitalization Efforts

In Gowanus, New York, a canal that was ignored for decades until it was recently revitalized as an environmental public space. The area was home to low and middle-class citizens and diverse sociocultural groups, but since the area has been greened, many of these communities have been forced to relocate due to heightened living expenses caused by gentrification of the area.

Similarly, communities living on the Greenpoint-Williamsburg waterfront agreed to increasing luxury property in the area in exchange for green space, public access, and affordable housing. A decade later, several luxury towers have been put up, yet the green space was deemed too expensive to incorporate and the affordable housing has not been built.

https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/lib/asulib-ebooks/reader.action?docID=4595177

War on Water Rights

AQUEDUCT HISTORY ~1920

In the early 1920s, the Los Angeles Board of Water and Power Commissioners negotiated and gradually purchased almost all of Owens Valley farms and their corresponding water rights. The farmers with the most water banded together to form the Owens Valley Irrigation District in order to try to secure a better deal. When the Owens Valley Irrigation District did not succeed, they created three smaller groups in order to try to bargain. These groups were turbulent in their efforts; resorting to violence, trying to get the attention of state and national press, and calling for politician interference to support their demands for more compensation. This conflict was so highly disputed that the national press referred to it as "California's Little Civil War."

https://academic.oup.com/jleo/article/25/2/311/874798?login=true

In 1983, tensions were at an all time high between Los Angeles county and the citizens of Owens Valley. During this time, the ground water and runoff from Owens Valley comprised eight and sixty-five percent, respectively, of Los Angeles' water supply. The large consumption of water from Owens Valley led to damaging drying of the valley's ecosystem. The residents of Owens Valley tried to uprise against L.A. county, but to no avail.