Table 1.

Students’ Required Inventory and Analysis Components

  1. Historic conditions and water in LA

    • LA Settlement

    • LA Ecology

    • Before channelization—what led to channelization?

  2. Existing/Future conditions for project area

    • Existing river access

    • Mobility to/from/within the project area—bikes, trains, walking

    • Other livability criteria—tree canopy coverage, permeable areas, parks

    • Habitat and plant systems within the LA River watershed and 11-mile ARBOR stretch project area

    • Key neighborhoods and landmarks, planning areas related to the river in the project area

    • Stormwater inlets/outlets

    • Land use—identifying public ownership

      • Housing

      • Parks and open space

      • Vacant

    • Aquifers and groundwater basins

    • Existing river access

    • Mobility to/from/within the project area—bikes, trains, walking

    • Other livability criteria—tree canopy coverage, permeable areas, parks

  3. Current plans and their impact on the project area

    • ARBOR study

    • What are the specific reaches and planned work within those reaches?

    • How does the ARBOR study support water supply, habitat, ecosystem restoration?

    • LA Watersheds, water quality/supply and the LA River

    • Which jurisdictions are responsible for management of the LA River: stormwater, open space, water quality, safety?

    • How do all of the existing plans complement each other—what’s the big picture goal for revitalization?

Questions specifically for the project area:
  • What is proposed?

  • How do the proposed plans fit with a multi-benefit approach to river revitalization?

Other questions students considered during research and analysis:
  • What type of habitat and how much connectivity does the river provide currently (Dramstad et al., 1996)?

  • How does the river fit into LA’s stormwater capture/water supply systems?

  • What does restoration of the LA River look like?