River-Lab

River restoration projects can be designed to cultivate a diversity of human interactions with the riverscape, alongside the fulfillment of traditional biophysical objectives. The Salinas River is a major river in an agricultural valley in California, where restoration projects could address annual concerns of winter flooding while facilitating more human interactions throughout the riverscape. We conducted a study to investigate (i) who currently interacts with the river, (ii) where the sites of these interactions are, and (iii) how we can restore them for ecological and socio-cultural benefits. We combined site visits and evaluations, informal interviews, and GIS analyses to answer our questions. We find the Salinas River largely disconnected from public life, out of view and physical access. Nonetheless, there is a desire to connect with the water and riverfronts. Among the five sites we evaluated, Arroyo Seco is a well-frequented public area with amenities and ease of access to the banks and streams. The other sites require illicit passage through private property, but vary with regards to visual and physical accessibility, and site conditions, such as quantity of trash. Nonetheless, all sites inspire visions for restoration projects. such as floodable parks and linear riverfront parks, to yield biophysical and socio-cultural benefits .