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Donation funds feasibility study

Published Oct. 12, 2012
Col. Mark Toy, Los Angeles District commander speaks during an event at North Atwater Park along the Los Angeles River Oct. 9. The city received a donation of $970,000 to fund the District’s Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study.

Col. Mark Toy, Los Angeles District commander speaks during an event at North Atwater Park along the Los Angeles River Oct. 9. The city received a donation of $970,000 to fund the District’s Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study.

Los Angeles District Chief of Planning Division Dr. Josephine Axt briefly explains the District's Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study during a ceremony Oct. 9. The city received a donation from the Friends of the LA River to fund the study that is a precursor to much of the Los Angeles River Revitalization Master Plan.

Los Angeles District Chief of Planning Division Dr. Josephine Axt briefly explains the District's Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study during a ceremony Oct. 9. The city received a donation from the Friends of the LA River to fund the study that is a precursor to much of the Los Angeles River Revitalization Master Plan.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, left center, poses with key partners around a map of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District’s Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study at North Atwater Park Oct. 9. From the left are; City Engineer Gary Lee Moore, Friends of the LA River founder Lewis MacAdams, Los Angeles District Commander Col. Mark Toy, Director of the Los Angeles City Bureau of Sanitation Enrique Zaldivar, Miss Me company spokesperson Lilly Kim, Chairperson of the White House Council on Environmental Quality Nancy Sutley, Councilmember Tom LaBonge and the District's Chief of Planning Division Dr. Josephine Axt.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, left center, poses with key partners around a map of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District’s Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study at North Atwater Park Oct. 9. From the left are; City Engineer Gary Lee Moore, Friends of the LA River founder Lewis MacAdams, Los Angeles District Commander Col. Mark Toy, Director of the Los Angeles City Bureau of Sanitation Enrique Zaldivar, Miss Me company spokesperson Lilly Kim, Chairperson of the White House Council on Environmental Quality Nancy Sutley, Councilmember Tom LaBonge and the District's Chief of Planning Division Dr. Josephine Axt.

LOS ANGELES — Through the Los Angeles River Revitalization Master Plan, the city has hundreds of community projects proposed, with some already taking shape. One such site, North Atwater Park, hosted a unique ceremony Oct. 9 where a private company donated funds to the non-profit group Friends of the LA River who, in turn, donated $970,000 to the city for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District’s Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study.

“The Corps has led a planning process, where we identified problems and opportunities along the river,” said Chief of Planning Division Dr. Josephine Axt. “We’ve narrowed our area of interest to an 11-mile stretch from roughly Griffith Park to downtown. This month, we’re starting our higher headquarters policy compliance review. We’ve done a lot of work that has resulted in alternative plans.”

In regards to the LA River, public safety remains the Corps’ number one priority. That said, there are three significant portions of the river that offer a semi-natural river bed; the Sepulveda Basin, site of the Paddle the LA River Program, the Glendale Narrows and 2.6 miles of soft bottom after the Willow Street drop structure which is an inter-tidal estuary.

“We have always enjoyed a partnership with LA County Flood; it’s been 70 years,” said Col. Mark Toy, Los Angeles District commander. “During that time, it has always been about flood risk management, the safety of our people and that’s why long ago we channelized the river. Now, we can look at things like flood risk management in the same sentence with ecosystem restoration and recreation.”

Ecosystem restoration projects, like this one, are a major share of the Corps’ workload. The District is also working on water quality improvements and recreation opportunities along the Tres Rios in the heart of Phoenix, Ariz. As Toy mentioned, it is all in keeping with the District’s motto, “BUILDING STRONG and Taking Care of People!