Large-scale channelization of Los Angeles water courses in the 20th century led to the invisibility of waterin today’s highly urban, infrastructural landscape. Though channels were built to protect the populationfrom flood risks, they do not provide a long-term solution for flood control, and they disconnect thepopulation from their landscape and local ecology. Revealing local waterways to the public in thoughtfulways may reconnect people to the land’s ecological history and inform future land use decisions for amore resilient future. With this goal in mind, I frame this paper within the context of a lesser-knowntributary in the San Gabriel Valley region of Los Angeles County: the Alhambra Wash. I trace the history, existing conditions, and potential interventions for the wash with the aim of building stronger cognitiveconnections between the local community and their waterway.
This paper examines flood risk management and floodplain development in WestSacramento, a flood prone California city adjacent to the state capital. While Sest Sacramentoparticipates in the National Flood Insurance Program, the Flood Insurance Rate Map for the cityis outdated and does not adequately reflect actual flood risk. Analyses of US Census data,National Flood Insurance Program products, zoning ordinances, and remote sensing dataindicate that development has continued in areas exposed to high flood hazard, increasing the risk of life and property to flooding.
I provide this feasibility study for the future restoration of Tangxi Canal (Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China) to explore whether the canal district can become a social-interactive urban space with healthy environmental conditions and sustained connectivity with the canal waters. Overall, the Tangxi Canal District faces two challenges: first, pollution from fuel leaks from motorboats and stormwater runoff; and second, a lack of sociocultural interaction between residents and the canal. Therefore, the restoration of the Tangxi Canal area requires the following: (a) providing more green spaces and public spaces; (b) addressing environmental problems; and (c) providing more urban amenities.
