The LA River

The Los Angeles River basin was home to many different animals and plants. Willow forests and freshwater marshes - plants that helped keep the Los Angeles River clean and water stored – thrived alongside fish, birds, and the occasional bear, and lush grasslands extended in every direction. However, after at least nine devastating floods in which numerous settlements were washed away, the growing city of Los Angeles asked the Army Corps to build concrete all along its banks and fully channel the river. The concrete helped to direct the river, controlling the rush of water and preventing further flooding. Because of this, the river soon became heavily polluted. Its once diverse selection of wildlife has now almost dwindled out. Almost all of the river’s original riparian habitats are gone today, though efforts are being made to restore or recreate them.