River Revival

Few rivers have been more altered than the Los Angeles River. By half a century ago, all but a handful of the river's 51 miles had been paved into a concrete flood control channel or "water freeway" that can rush water out to the Pacific at speeds that reach 35-40 mph.

In 1986, the seeds for river restoration were sown with the creation of Friends of the Los Angeles River (FOLAR), a River Network Partner organization. Over the past quarter-century, FOLAR has raised awareness of the potential benefits of returning the L.A. river to a more natural state.

Last month, river advocates scored a major victory when EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson came to town to officially declare the L.A. River navigable, a decision that affirms that the river deserves protection under the Clean Water Act and opens the door to new restoration efforts.