L.A. River Study: Should Glendale Narrows Lose the Concrete?

The Glendale Narrows of the L.A. River run approximately from Griffith Park in Los Feliz through Atwater and Silver Lake's "Frogtown" to the intersection of the 110 and 5 freeways in the Elysian Valley.

The Narrows are among the river's most naturalized stretches. The natural bottom is fed by an aquifer. That's encouraged plant and wildlife to develop there organically.

When activists and others talk about possible stretches of the river that might open to group tours, the Narrows is frequently discussed.

The ten-mile-long Glendale Narrows has also been the subject of a now six-year-old study nicknamed the "ARBOR" study -- an acronym for "Alternative with Restoration Benefits and Opportunities for Revitalization."

A partnership between U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Bureau of Engineering for the City of Los Angeles, the $9 million study now focuses on the Narrows and ways to balance ecological improvements with adequate protections.

Some possible measures include partial removal of concrete along the stretch, as well as trails and natural filtration, according to a new blog posting by the Friends of the Los Angeles River on the KCET Departures website.

Three possible scenarios are still being developed. One will finally be presented to Congress for funding and implementation by the Army Corps of Engineers.

Click through to read the FoLAR blog in full.

The public is invited to an update on the ARBOR study on Monday, July 9 at 1 p.m. at Los Angeles City Hall, 200 Spring St., Room 1020.

See an agenda here.

Meantime, another summer of paddling programs at the Sepulveda Dam stretch of the L.A. River stil awaits permitting.