River-Lab

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.