It was a fantastic urban odyssey from Canoga Park in the San Fernando Valley to the estuary at Long Beach. There is now an abundance of new media links and unbelievable pictures of the LA River (yes, that's YOUR river! — use it or lose it). It was a grand finish with our kayaks and canoes set against the backdrop of the enormous Queen Mary. And yet our journey has really just begun.
There are still many things that need to happen. We are in the process of summarizing our river expedition observations in a report. And the timeliness of the issues about river access and clean water continue to heat up. See the letter to the Assistant Secretary of the Army by Congressional Representatives Henry Waxman and James Oberstar: "Is the Army Corps of Engineers undermining the Clean Water Act?"
We request that the Army Corps makes their determination process far more transparent and inclusive of the community which it serves — beginning with the impending determination of the 7-mile stretch of rapids cutting through downtown L.A. (known as the Glendale Narrows).
We request that the Environmental Protection Agency uses its weight to protect the environment here in Southern California instead of pandering to partisan political agendas in Washington D.C.
We request that LA County reconsiders its policies that deny river access to the public, in light of the fact that the California Constitution grants citizens the inalienable right to their waterways under public trust laws.
In case there is any doubt about whether this stretch of the river constitutes a "traditional navigable water" (TNW), view this short clip that was shot there and is typical of that segment of the river:
Boating (aka "navigability" or "navigable-in-fact") is one criterion that helps to prove that the 52-mile Los Angeles River meets the definition of a TNW. Other criteria include whether the river exhibits characteristics of traditional rivers i.e. proper hydrology (amble water volume / water levels, etc.), evidence of use by the citizenry (i.e. birdwatching, equestrian activity, etc.), and the potential for future commercial use of the river (i.e. fishing, recreational boating, etc.).
If you'd like to participate in the L.A. River Expedition 2009, contact George.
