Volume 1, Issue 2

The Vanishing (F)Act:
L.A.’s Lost Streams

North Atwater Park may seem like it is all but forgotten. Situated between a service yard and equestrian stables, many residents and visitors may be unaware that the park is home to North Atwater Creek, a remnant seasonal stream that will soon be repaired.

Restoration plans for the stream are an integral piece of the City’s Los Angeles River Revitalization Plan.

Over the years the majority of North Atwater Creek has been physically lost, literally paved over by development. It’s been a long time since the stream acted as it was originally intended -- as a tributary to the Los Angeles River. It is the City’s hope that at least the last portion of this lost stream can be saved, repaired, and brought back to life. This will in turn help preserve a small piece of native riparian habitat and help improve the quality of runoff that flows into the L.A. River.

Many vanishing streams like North Atwater Creek exist throughout the City of Los Angeles. Most are tucked away in remote locales or buried under pavement. But the City and its community partners are working hard to bring these water ways back.

The North Atwater Creek project will reconstruct an area of the park along the L.A. River by restoring the creek’s bank and seasonal wetlands to filter runoff, which flows directly through the park. Once completed, the creek will treat almost 40 acres of runoff from the adjoining residential neighborhood.

The project will also expand the existing North Atwater Park by adding over one acre of restored creek bank and riparian vegetation. The added habitat will vastly improve the quality of this runoff and soon a trash-capturing device will be installed at the intersection of Chevy Chase Drive to intercept trash flowing from the area to the creek.

"The City is proud and excited to provide the community with new access to the ever-expanding Los Angeles River Greenway and to enhance the area with improved water quality, new passive recreational activities and habitat restoration," says North Atwater Creek Restoration Project Manager Renee Ellis. "This will become a great opportunity for our neighbors to enjoy this scenic stretch of the River and a desirable destination for visitors who live elsewhere."

Ultimately the project, once completed, will demonstrate that big cities can take pro-active measures within their urban area to save and restore impaired habitat. But more importantly, perhaps, this is a second chance for a creek that was once thought to be one of L.A.’s lost streams.