A all-embracing accumulation of Angelenos auspiciously navigated kayaks and canoes down the abounding breadth of the 52-mile L.A. River (from headwaters to estuary) as allotment of the first-ever Los Angeles River Expedition 2008. The three-day basic campaign approved that the accomplished river claim a assurance as a "traditional accessible water" -- which would baptize the river to the accomplished standards of federal apple-pie baptize protections beneath the Clean Water Act. The Army Corps of Engineers, however, still maintains that alone 4 afar of the absolute river can be advised commonly accessible waters, and that boats are not accustomed in the LA River, admitting California accessible assurance laws that do not abutment that notion. LA County considers the river a "flood ascendancy channel."
Los Angeles, CA -- A dozen audacious Angelenos auspiciously navigated kayaks and canoes down the abounding breadth of the 52-mile L.A. River (from headwaters at Canoga Park to branch in Long Beach) in a three-day basic expedition, demonstrating that the accomplished river claim a assurance as a "traditional accessible water" -- which would baptize the river to the accomplished standards of federal apple-pie baptize protections beneath the Clean Water Act.
On June 4, 2008, the Army Corps of Engineers disqualified that alone two stretches of the river (about 4 miles) becoming acumen as a acceptable accessible baptize (TNW), blurred the bar for aegis of tributaries agriculture into the river, aperture the floodgates for development on the region's brittle ecosystems, aggressive bounded baptize supplies, abrasive the drive of city-limits and canton river awakening adept plans, circumventing accessible captivation in its decision-making, and ambience a antecedent that could be followed on added abused and endangered waterways throughout the country.
I've been on canoeing expeditions throughout Canada, to India, Tahiti, Peru, Ecuador and elsewhere, but our adventure down the LA River was apparently the a lot of alien and apperception alarming of them all. I approved three altered ability in the LA River: whitewater kayak, sit-on-top kayak, and canoe, and the simple canoe trumped them all! Unfortunately, the river's abeyant is bound by Corps and County claims that the accessible doesn't accept a appropriate to its own river -- which runs adverse to California accompaniment law (Article 10, Section 4 of its constitution). It's about bent to allegation arduous fees to the accessible for something the accessible already has a axiological appropriate to access. Somebody should attending into that The Corps did abandon blur admittance fees at the endure minute, but still says that boats mustn't blow water. Next year we achievement we can cover the Corps and County as accommodating partners. Colonel Magness, in the river, with a canoe -- now that would be a absurd day for the absolute LA River community! Expedition affiliate Frederick Reimers, above editor of Canoe & Kayak magazine, noted, "I've been on canoeing expeditions throughout Canada, to India, Tahiti, Peru, Ecuador and elsewhere, but our adventure down the LA River was apparently the a lot of alien and apperception alarming of them all. I approved three altered ability in the LA River: whitewater kayak, sit-on-top kayak, and canoe, and the simple canoe trumped them all!"
"Much to our delight," says co-leader George Wolfe, "we begin that even at this driest time of year you can float a baiter down the accomplished river. We aswell saw that the river has all the requisite concrete characteristics of a acceptable accessible canal (suitable hydrology -- depth, agreement and flow; abounding acceptance credibility and paths; affirmation of accessible use, etc.), and that the river has astronomic abeyant for bartering activities (birdwatching, fishing, painting, etc.). This is abnormally accurate of the 7-mile amplitude of Class-I avalanche in the soft-bottomed Glendale Narrows. Many humans in beach neighborhoods like Atwater Village bidding absorption in canoeing tours via baby watercraft."
"Unfortunately, the river's abeyant is bound by Corps and County claims that the accessible doesn't accept a appropriate to its own river -- which runs adverse to California accompaniment law (Article 10, Section 4 of its constitution). It's about bent to allegation arduous fees to the accessible for something the accessible already has a axiological appropriate to access. Somebody should attending into that," Wolfe continued. "The Corps did abandon blur admittance fees at the endure minute, but still says that boats mustn't blow water. Next year we achievement we can cover the Corps and County as accommodating partners. Colonel Magness, in the river, with a canoe -- now that would be a absurd day for the absolute LA River community!"
Joe Linton, columnist of Down by the LA River, observed, "It was a absolute kick! Sure, there were a few abbreviate portages about arcade carts and some bedrock ledges, but there were aswell waterlines on the approach walls advertence that baptize is 6-12 inches college during added times of the year. Obviously, you wouldn't ambition to blend with this river if it's aqueous or if there are thunderstorms in the foothills. But by and ample it was a pleasurable, surreal burghal odyssey, abounding of animal attributes and added wildlife. Our permits were originally denied due to 'safety concerns,' but the better crisis we encountered was bottomward on algae affronted by all that hot concrete."
Adds Melanie Winter, controlling administrator of non-profit The River Project, "When we transitioned from concrete-lined sections to accustomed ones (at the alpha of the Sepulveda Basin, the Glendale Narrows, and the branch at Willow Street in Long Beach), there were abrupt stretches area plants and clay were alive overtime to uptake the pollutants, and aggregate would that appears to smell awfully rank. But afterwards 20 yards, it would alpha to antithesis out -- attributes would abound and you could alpha to brainstorm yourself anywhere but actuality in L.A. It's absolutely a appealing extraordinary, fun experience."
For inquiries apropos this release: Julie Du Brow, Publicist: 310-821-2463/310-922-1301; julie @ dubroworks.com
For media fact-checking with USACE: Jay Field, Army Corps of Engineers, Public Affairs Officer; 213-452-3920; Thomas.j.field @ usace.army.mil
For media fact-checking with LA County: Luis Cervantes; 626-458-4937; LCervant @ dpw.lacounty.gov
