The Los Angeles River, One of America's Most Endangered Rivers
APril 19, 2022
American Rivers named the Los Angeles River one of America’s Most Endangered Rivers® of 2022 today, highlighting the threat that poor river management, pollution, and climate change pose to river health, clean water, and communities.
The LA River represents one of the few remaining freshwater habitats for native species in Los Angeles and an opportunity to connect community well-being, climate resilience, and environmental restoration. Yet, the LA River has been treated for far too long as a polluted flood control channel instead of a living river that could provide a host of benefits to the Los Angeles region.
Our River is at a critical crossroads with two vastly different visions for its future— one vision prioritizes nature and connecting communities; the other seeks to control nature and divert water from the River, possibly rendering it dry and leading to increased climate risks. While major cities across the globe are freeing rivers from concrete channels and creating more equitable access to nature, LA County is pushing a new LA River Master Plan that is overly reliant on concrete and other outdated approaches. It denies communities natural climate solutions that could mitigate extreme climate impacts.
“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to provide creative solutions to improve the river and the communities that surround it. The LA River is at a turning point, and the decisions we make today are critical. We can either pursue a path towards climate resilience through river restoration or doom the river to a future as a polluted flood control channel. We must invest in nature-based solutions today—
more concrete is not the answer!”
In the era of climate change and ever-more persistent drought, we need a watershed approach that looks to green communities throughout the massive LA River watershed to replenish much-needed groundwater supplies while reducing flood pressure on the River itself. The most recent draft of the Master Plan (released in 2021), however, takes a narrow approach to the river corridor, and rather than setting a clear vision for the River, the Plan instead provides a menu of possible futures, including some that will bury the River under massive stretches of concrete.
Check out a message from Congressman Adam Schiff
The last thing the LA River needs is more concrete. Efforts to cap the River only reinforce its role as a stormwater channel and discourages efforts to restore it to health. That’s why American Rivers has named the LA River one of the top ten Most Endangered Rivers in the country.
LA Waterkeeper is hopeful the designation of the LA River as one of America’s Most Endangered Rivers activates decision-makers, County voters, and Angelenos from all walks of life to prioritize the LA River’s health, equitable access, and climate resilience for river-adjacent communities. The LA County Board of Supervisors is likely to adopt an update to the LA River Master Plan some time in late spring.
Keep an eye out for alerts and opportunities to voice against a final plan that is unlikely to create a sustainable and equitable future for the LA River.
The Los Angeles River.
The annual America’s Most Endangered Rivers report is a list of rivers at a crossroads, where key decisions in the coming months will determine the rivers’ fates. Over the years, the report has helped spur many successes, including removing outdated dams, the protection of rivers with Wild and Scenic designations, and preventing harmful development and pollution.