It Takes a Village to Clean the L.A. River

Even though the L.A. River has received significant media attention since the EPA designated it a “traditional navigable water” in July 2010, a lot of work still needs to be done to educate the public about the river and its many access points.

There are 1 million people living within a one-mile footprint of the Los Angeles River, and there are 9-10 million people living in the L.A. River watershed, according to Friends of the LA River staffer Karin Flores, writing in a KCET Departures blog post.

Flores continues: “Three thousand volunteers is a great start, but we need more. …here’s what you can do to help the revitalization plans: explore the river, and share it with those who have never experienced it. Show friends and family the many pocket parks, historic bridges, murals, and decorative gates. Pedal the bike paths, birdwatch in the estuary, and ride a horse on the equestrian river trails.”

Explore the river yourself. Join Heal the Bay and the Pacific American Volunteer Association on June 23 for a river cleanup to kick off Take L.A. by Storm this summer.