Improving Communities Through the Arroyo Seco Sustainability Campaign and Watershed Assessment

Improving Communities Through the Arroyo Seco Sustainability Campaign and Watershed Assessment

Arroyo Seco Headwaters in the San Gabriel Mountains Major tributary to the Los Angeles River 44 square mile watershed 22 mile channel from headwaters to confluence Source: City of Pasadena Source: Arroyo Seco Foundation

Arroyo Seco San Gabriel Mt Headwaters Steep Terrain 288 ft/mi 5.4% gradient Natural Channel Susceptible to Wildfires

Arroyo Seco Middle Reach Jet Propulsion Laboratory Hahamongna Watershed Park Devil s Gate Dam

Arroyo Seco Middle Reach Brookside Park & Golf Course Rose Bowl Concrete Flood Channel

Arroyo Seco Lower Reach Arroyo Seco Parkway LA River Confluence Concrete Flood Channel

Arroyo Seco Greenway Grassroots planning Integrated multi-objectives public safety Transportation connections economic vitality Recreational enhancement Water supply & quality Ecosystem health Geomorphic stability Neighborhood connections Los Angeles La Canada Flintridge Pasadena Altadena

Arroyo Seco Watershed Sustainability Campaign (ASWSC) Arroyo Seco Watershed Sustainability Campaign Improve reliability and management of resources Greenway Agreement Inter-agency project development and implementation Arroyo Seco Watershed Assessment (ASWA) Roadmap for future agency coordination and collaboration Arroyo Seco Greenway Project Integrated, multiple benefit projects along the 20 mile corridor. Localized Projects Reach/area specific Distributed Projects Programmatic

Purpose of ASWA Identify needs within the watershed Provide for future coordination and collaboration through the greenway agreement Attract funding Develop an implementation plan Provide a framework for future community integration in the watershed

ASWA Restoration Goals Restore natural hydrologic function Optimize water supply Improve water quality Enhance habitat Improve recreational opportunities

Arroyo Seco Greenway Agreement A cooperative program and an inter-agency vehicle Policy and operational agreement Provide a framework for restoration and revitalization efforts Identifies specific areas of cooperation

Arroyo Seco Greenway Agreement Potential adopting parties City & County of Los Angeles Altadena County City of South Pasadena City of La Canada Flintridge Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy California Department of Transportation US Department of Agriculture US Army Corps of Engineers Various non-governmental agencies Source: arroyoseco.org

Technical Assessment USACE Feasibility Study and associated Arroyo Seco Ecosystem Restoration Reports Sediment Management Reports Biological Assessments (Fisheries, aquatic, birds, other wildlife studies) Water Supply & Quality Reports

Coastal Birds, Migrating Waterfowl, and Specialty Birds Frequent the Arroyo Seco Great Blue Heron Green Heron Yellow warbler

Large Scale Top Tier Restoration Projects Headwaters Restoration Hahamongna Watershed Park Channel Restoration Brookside Park Golf Course Channel Renaturalization Lower Arroyo Seco Linkages Confluence Gateway

Headwaters Restoration Upstream of JPL Issues: Fish passage Riparian habitat disruption Wildfire impacts Goals: Stream stabilization, Aquatic habitat connectivity Invasive species.

Upper Arroyo Seco Restoration Key Project Components: Pasadena Water & Power diversion structures Fish passage Sediment transport Brown Mountain Dam removal Channel stabilization Wildfire mitigation Riparian corridor improvements Invasive species control Reestablish native vegetation

Upper Arroyo Seco Restoration

Hahamongna Watershed Park Improvements JPL to Devil s Gate Dam Issues: Valley floor spreading and deposition Aquifer recharge ponds Goals: Establish sediment and debris capture zone Develop stable channel planform Reestablish riparian and open water habitats

Hahamongna Watershed Park Improvements Key Project Components: Reduce impacts from sediment- and debris-laden floodwaters. Improve water quality Restore degraded riverine and upland ecosystem communities. Reestablish wildlife migration corridor HWP Master Plan (2003) Water and natural resource education and utilization Preservation of native plants and habitat Acknowledge Native American culture Passive and active recreation

Brookside Park Golf Course Channel Naturalization Issue: Concrete-lined flood channel through world-class golf course Goal: Integrated recreation, water resource, and habitat enhancement

Brookside Park Golf Course Arroyo Seco Channel Naturalization Key Project Objectives: Improve flood water, sediment and debris storage through reestablishment of a natural channel/floodplain system Improve water quality using groundwater/surface interaction of restored floodplains to remove sediment and filter flows Restore endangered riverine and upland ecosystem communities Reestablish wildlife migration corridors Provide active and passive recreational areas that are integrated into native ecosystem habitats Upgrade Works Progress Administration infrastructure

Lower Arroyo Linkages Issues: Integrate neighborhoods and transportation hubs Highland Park, Mt. Washington Garvanza Hermon Montecito Heights Cypress Park Increase recreation and economic vitality,

Lower Arroyo Linkages Key Project Components: Linkages to public transit Cultural resources Points of interest Pedestrian circulation Integrated improvements: Water quality enhancements Riparian habitat restoration for target species Augmenting recreational & tourism opportunities Bicycle circulation Parks and open space Parkway connection points Improving environmental justice conditions Revitalizing communities Boosting pedestrian and bicycle safety

Lower Arroyo Linkages Southwest Museum, Sycamore Park, Montecito Heights Park, Audubon Center Vicinity Improvements Pedestrian bridge & path Park plaza Bus station Smart crosswalks

Confluence Gateway Multi-Use Project Issues: Industrialized conveyance No community connection Constrained channels Goals: Provide public access to the Arroyo Seco/LA River confluence Connect the LA River to the regional rail transit system, and Arroyo Seco greenway

Confluence Gateway Multi-Use Project Key Project Components: Acquire ROW for access Connect regional river parkway network Lighting to enhance safety Provide recreational space & reduce industrial character Improve passage at street crossings and bridges

Confluence Gateway Multi-Use Project

Distributed Project Themes Ecosystem Restoration Restore riverine and upland ecosystem communities Reestablish wildlife migration corridors Multi-modal Connectivity Linking neighborhoods: multi-user benefits for pedestrians, bicyclists, multimodel transit users, disabled individuals, and potentially equestrian riders Water Supply Protect foothill lands to enhance percolation into the groundwater basin Expand water conservation and recycling programs Conjunctive use of groundwater basin for wet season storage and dry season use Develop upper watershed reforestation and revegetation programs to reduce sediment flow and improve local retention Recreational Opportunities and Open Space Land acquisition to protect open space provide recreational opportunities

Distributed Project Themes Cultural and Historic Improvements Rehabilitate and enhance WPA structures, rock retaining walls, and local art Include interpretive elements Streambank Stabilization and Riparian Restoration Improve water quality Native riparian edge treatments Land acquisition for natural buffers BMP and Stormwater Improvements Structural & non-structural BMPs Daylight stormdrains Energy Efficiency Integrate energy efficient systems into project elements

Data Gaps and Next Steps Project Ranking Stakeholder review and input Revise and update project information & data Project Integration/Adaptive Management Continue to improve Greenway integration Concept Development Engineering and design analyses for top tier projects Continued agency and CASA coordination Minimize duplication of effort and to implement projects in a united manner Funding Strategy Coordinated funding strategy tapping federal, state, local, and private resources.

For more information: www.arroyoseco.org Tim Brick, Managing Director, ASF, tim@arroyoseco.org (626) 584-9902 Wendy Katagi, C.E.P., Associate, CDM Smith, katagiwr@cdmsmith.com (213) 457-2132