Los Angeles River

Watershed Report Card

2016

Produced by the Roberts Environmental Center

at Claremont Mckenna College

Overview
Goals and Focus

Indicators Measured

The report card focuses on integrated

measures of watershed health that are
standardized and quantifiable to promote
improved practices at the individual and
regional levels.

Recreation Economy Community

Create watershed-scale assessments of condition

and enhancing the ability to readily track changes in
condition over time
Produce variety of information products tailored to
specific audiences

Ecosystems Infrastructure

Provide flexibility allowing for change to indicators,

thresholds, and scoring methods over time

Grading

A Very Good
B Good
C Fair
D Poor
F Very Poor

Where are we?

The Los Angeles River watershed comprises much of the
City of Los Angeles and communities from the Angeles
National Forest to the Port of Los Angeles.

Reaches
mile stretch from the
1 9mouth
includes Long Beach

Reach 1
and Reach 2
Carson. The southern 3 miles is
Reach 3
soft-bottom.
The north is the start of
Reach 4
Reach 5
the channelized
part.
Reach 6

10 mile reach includes bike

paths and parks. Includes
Burbnak, Glendale, Atwater Village,
Los Feliz, Elysian valley, Silver lake,
Glassell Park, and Cypress Park.

11.5 mile reach including

Paramount, Compton,
Lynwood, South Gate, Cudahy, Bell
Gardens, Maywood, Commerce,
Bell, and Vernon.

16 miles to the Santa

Monica Mountains. Includes
Canoga Park, Winnetka, Reseda,
Encino, West Van Nuys, Sherman
Oaks, Studio City, and Toluca Lake.

2
3

5 mile reach is the junction

of the LA and Arroyo Seco
Rivers. This includes the cities of
Boyle Heights, Lincoln Heights, Chinatown, Downtown LA. It includes
denser and more industrious areas.

9 miles long, from Hansen

Dam to the tributary of the
Los Angeles River, This reach includes Lakeview Terrace, Sun Valley,
Panorama City, Van Nuys, and North
Hollywood.

Introduction
The Los Angeles River Watershed
encompasses more than 834 square miles of
rivers, creeks and tributaries. It spans the distance
from Arroyo Calabasas and headwaters of Bell
Creek in the west, to El Monte in the eastern part,
to the Los Angeles River outflow into the Pacific
Ocean at Long Beach. The watershed includes
landmass where groundwater and surface water
flow, via gravity, to the LA River. The river itself,
relatively short when compared to other major
tributaries in western North America at 51 miles
long, runs through the center of the watershed,
from the Arroyo Calabasas to Long Beach. The
watershed can become a nonrenewable entity
in times of drought, stressing the importance of
watershed maintenece, as freshwater resources
become increasingly scares.
The watershed landmass falls under several
political jurisdictions and organizations maintaining
oversight. The Los Angeles Department of Water
and Power (LADWP) encompasses over roughly
40% of the watershed, mostly within the western
portion. The remaining portion is contained within
the jurisdictions of municipal utilities, including
Pasadena Water and Power, Glendale Water
and Power, and other smaller municipal entities.
None of these agencies specifically maintain the
watershed beyond Flood District Coordination, as
some development projects are contracted to third
parties, such as the Army Corp of Engineers.
The purpose of this watershed report card
is to facilitate interpretation of agency data into
one document by creating a standardized rating
system, illuminating areas where the watershed
maintenance practices excel, and where targeted
improvements ought to be focused. A report
card provides a lasting framework and template
for scoring progress for stakeholders planning to
work in the Los Angeles Watershed in the future.

Though to a certain extent, some of the metrics

can be viewed arbitrarily, the standardization
grading process is an integral component of
geographical comparisons for sections of the river.
The physical conditions of the Los Angeles
River Watershed are fairly unique amongst
comparable watersheds in North America. The
river itself has undergone several larger public
works projects regarding flood control, beginning
in the 1930s. As a result, large sections of the
riverbed are covered in impermeable surfaces,
unlike most naturally flowing rivers in the western
United States, a disparity which requires different
standards for many of the measurements in the
report card.
The LA River Watershed is not only unique with
respect to its physical characteristics, but also
with respect to its inhabitants. The watershed is
a socioeconomically diverse area with different
communities benefitting from the river in a variety
of ways. By holistically reviewing connections to
the rivers economic, social, and environmental
resources, this comprehensive report card will
identify imbalances in broader trends than those
solely related to the rivers ecological condition.
This report card aims to bring together key
stakeholders, leaders, and decision makers that
reside within the lines of the watershed, and
provide them holistic information for collaborative
projects. There are a multitude of parties invested
in the quality of the LA River watershed, and
this report card format provides evidence of
the successes, failures, and opportunities for
improvement in the watershed. With proper
guidance and information, stakeholders will
be able to implement necessary policies and
programs to continue the track record of success
within the watershed, positively affected all those
involved.

Indicators Overview
Recreation

Economy

Leisure
Activities
Ease of
Access

Investment
Rates
Property
Values
Economic
Reliability

Community
Quality of Life
Social
Networks

Recreation
Maintain safe, accessible recreation areas

The Report Card assesses the safety of

recreational activities within portions of the river
available to foot traffic. Most recreation requires
human contact with water in the river, where
safety is a function of water quality. More directly related to
economic disparities between sections of the river is equity
of direct access to the water. Certain portions of the river are
both inaccessible and unsafe for foot traffic, while others may
be prohibitively expensive for residents at the median household income level to travel to access.

Ecosystem
Water Quality
Freshwater
Habitat Health
Protected
Lands

Planning
Built
Environments
Adaptation
Planning

Ease of Access

Percentage of river accessible via

non-motorized and foot traffic

Leisure Activities

Contaminant count in fish samples

for human consumption, percentage
river accessible to foot traffic, water
quality for human contact compared
to regulations

Economy
Support local economic conditions

The Report Card grades the quality and

sustainability of economic indicators near the
river. The indicators most salient to
assessing the performance of the economy
revolved around housing developments and quality of life
assessments. There is a strong correlation between quality
of life indicators and monetarily focused indicators, such as
median household income and housing prices. Examining
the economy in relation to its individuals, makes it possible to
construct a broader assessment of the rivers impact on the
surrounding people, and vice versa.

Investment Rates

Number of permits issued by

municipality of Los Angeles to areas
near river annually

Property Values

Property values along the river side

compared to national averages

Economic Reliability

Localized market stability and

consistency

Community
Measuring participation, reach, and
communication of community

The Report Card assesses the strength and

involvement of community groups in the
watershed. These groups have varying ties to
the river. Their involvement in the governance of the watershed
is vital to ensuring sustainable collaborative maintenance
of the river. Though is it challenging to quantify these
measurements, they are still integral to our understanding of
the River. With this, the Report Card investigates attachment
to the community and River.

Quality of Life

Comparisons of population density,

crime data, household incomes to
national figures

Social Networks

Attendance at Community Forums,

Newsletter Enrollment, Number of
communications with Stakeholders
including emails, newsletters, et

Ecosystems
Maintaining ecosystem health within and
around the river

The Report Card grades habitat health,

surrounding land, and water quality. Water
composition and chemical balances are
necessary to see the impacts on life within the river and
surrounding areas. Water quality and river health have large
impacts on biodiversity. Detecting strengths and weaknesses
in the rivers ecosystem allows for identification of areas of
improvement to protect freshwater, estuarial, and coastal
habitat health. Protected land along streams and rivers is
essential to the functioning of most aquatic ecosystems.
This land prevents flooding, creates a buffer zone between
developed areas and the rivers edge and minimizes pollutants
while simultaneously providing habitat for plants and animals.

Water Quality

Nutrient and toxicant density and

chemical propoerties

Freshwater Habitat Health

Biodiversity, hypoxia presence,

percent of river with natual
substrate

Protected Lands

Percentage rivers edge that is

protected within 50m buffer zone

Planning
Maintain safe, accessible recreation areas

The Report Card assesses the effectiveness

of infrastructure planning regarding resilience
and preparedness to floods and the effects of
construction materials on surrounding people
and ecosystems. Communities must be able to adapt to
changes in the environment especially with variable rain cycles
in Southern California.The buildings material analysis allow
for greater insight into mineral absorbtion into the river from
ground level. Heat islands affect both communities around the
River as well as the River itself. External infrastructure has the
ability to have huge both positive and negative impacts on the
watershed and River.

Adaptation Planning

Existence of a vulnerability risk

assessment and an adaptation plan

Built Environments

Impervious surfaces, cool roofs,

albedo per area for urban heat
island analysis

Progress and Steps Moving Forward

Timeline of Revitalization Efforts
City Council adopts the Los Angeles
River Revitalization Master Plan
(LARRMP) establishing a blueprint
for future revitalization of the River.

2006

2007

2008

Integrated Regional Water

Management Plan is approved.
Agreement signed with US Army
Corps of Engineers co-sponsoring
the LA River Ecosystem
Restoration Study establishing a
partnership with the government.

LA River is affirmed as
a Traditionally Navigable
Waterway under the Federal
Clean Water Act.

2009

The LA River Revitalization

Corporation is established
and Board members are
appointed by the City.

Current River Phenonmenons

The Drought is having significant impact on the LA River
Watershed currently. This phenomenon is something to take
into account when evaluating the health of the Watershed
and the River. The drought is causing reduced river flow and
shallower lake depths. In addition to physical water conditions,
the reduced run-off and precipitation has caused dryer
vegetation in the area. The current drought is on par with that
of the 1930s and early 1970s.

Recommendations

2010

LA River is chosen as
one of a few Federal
Urban Waters Pilot
programs.

2011

2012

City Council adopts the Cornfields

Arroyo Seco Specific Plan (CASP),
establishing new mixed-use
zoning districts and a greenway
buffer along the river.

Upcoming Projects

1 Frank Gehry Project- A

project facing controversy from

the community where Frank
Gehry, is working with the Mayor,
Eric Garcetti, and others to
design a portion of the LA River.

2 Cornfields Project
3 Army Corps of Engineers

Project- A revitalization project on

an 11 mile stretch of the LA River

Bi-annual photo documentation of watershed

Surveys
Conduct attitudinal survey of residents and business owners in watershed
to assess changes in quality of life indicators. This will capture success of
aesthetic improvements and revitalization projects.
Conduct a survey of residents for watershed management responsiveness.
Develop indicator with capacity to measure water depletion in watershed
Build dynamic document that when updated, populates scores annually