The Cal Poly Float: A Rose Parade Tradition

For the past 63 years, the California State Polytechnic Universities (San Luis Obispo and Pomona) have joined engineering and design forces to create an annual animated Rose Parade float.

This year is no different. Based upon this year's year's parade theme: Building Dreams, Friendships and Memories, the Cal Poly Rose Float takes us out of this world with 'Galactic Expedition.'

As a Cal Poly professor, I was able to access the float's workshop at the Rose Bowl and am happy to share this behind the scenes look at how the finishing touches are placed on a Rose Parade float.

Controlled chaos would be the best description. Here's what the float looked like at 1:00pm on December 30th, with judging due at 2:30pm on December 31st.

It's true that most of the flowers are put on the float at the last minute, so judging is done with the 'final' touches of arrays of flowers in place, but clearly the float had a long way to go to completion. (But it will get done!)

The Cal Poly float effort is really symbolic of most of the float making in the parade.  Despite recent
'corporate' floats that can cost up to a $1 million to create and build, many of the most popular and long standing floats come from schools like Cal Poly and local cities like La Canada-Flintridge and South Pasadena. These community floats are all created by volunteer work with donation support.

The Cal Poly float is an interesting example of cooperation between two Cal Poly campuses (the San Luis Obispo engineering students design the technology - the Pomona students construct the float) involving an integrated array of volunteers that include students, staff, faculty, parents, grandparents, spouses, siblings, and friends.  The Cal Poly float team even has an alumni group for those who have worked on the float over the years!

The volunteers come and work in shifts, while taking periodic 'lunch breaks' with a food tent and porta potties handy so that valuable work time is not lost.

What was just as amazing as watching this float constructed was observing the tremendous sense of community among all the workers and visitors, a community that all float volunteers share, regardless of sponsor. This is what helps make the Rose Parade so magical - it's long tradition of floral floats and multi-generational, multi-cultural bringing together of families and friends during the holiday season with only one goal in mind: build a prize-winning float. One of the most touching moments of my visit was watching an elderly couple showing their grandchildren toddlers the float and proudly exclaiming: We used to work on this float and someday you will too.

Last year, the Cal Poly float won the Bob Hope Humor Award, but the campuses are most proud of earning the  'Viewers Choice Award' for the past 2 years. This award is given annually to the most popular float based on viewer votes from those watching the Parade with Bob Eubanks and Stephanie Edwards on KTLA, Los Angeles oldest independent television station.

So here's my unabashed promotion to ask you to vote for Cal Poly's Rose Float as this year's Viewer's Choice Award' to give the Cal Poly Broncos a 'three-peat.' Here are the rules: you can vote a maximum of five times and voting takes place on Saturday, January 1, 2010 between 8:00am and 2:10pm.

Whether you are watching the parade live on TV or in person, text FLOAT14 to 50649 from your mobile phone to cast your vote for Float #14, Galactic Expedition. You can also vote online at www.tournamentofroses.com/viewers-choice-award. Don't forget to note you are voting for Float #14! Vote early, vote often (up to 5 times!)

Happy wishes to all participants for a smooth travel down Colorado Boulevard in the 2011 Tournament of Roses Parade, the 'granddaddy of them all!'

Archers & Casters & Horses....Oh My!

It was the day after Christmas and I was expecting a crowd and parking challenges...but not at the Lower Arroyo Seco Nature Park in Pasadena!

Maybe it was the week of rain; maybe it was the desire to walk off Christmas dinner; maybe it was the Rose Bowl/Parade visitors; regardless, the Lower Arroyo was so busy with walkers, dogs, fly fishermen and equestrians that it was almost impossible to find parking in the park's lot!

Though this bucolic spot is a favorite with joggers and dog walkers, the Lower Arroyo, as we fondly call it, is also the home to some of Pasadena's oldest outdoor recreation groups.

First, there are the Pasadena Roving Archers (PRA), "dedicated to the art of the bow and arrow in the Lower Arroyo Seco since 1935." Men, women, young adults and children are all members of this long-standing non-profit group. All are bound together by the sport of archery, or the bow and arrow, my dad would call it. PRA is home to beginners, weekend enthusiasts, regional, state and international archers.

Did you know archery in the Arroyo Seco has a long history with organized competition starting in the early nineteen thirties? The Pasadena Roving Archers has been a part of that history and is charged with operating and maintaining the Lower Arroyo's archery range.

PRA members provide hundreds of hours of volunteer service to maintain these facilities and provide archery instruction to archers from 8 to 80. All of the PRA archery instructors have been certified by the National Archery Association. Archery classes with the PRA are a good way to learn the sport and this club is always looking for new enthusiastic members. Check them out at http://www.rovingarchers.com/.

Another terrific group that has been calling the Lower Arroyo home since 1947 is the Pasadena Casting Club, where current and future fly fishermen can practice the scientific art of angling and casting. This Club, a charter member of the Federation of Fly Fishers, also supports fish, habitat and natural resource conservation. The park's large casting pond is the ideal spot for fishermen young and old to take casting lessons or just hang around and tell fish tales at the PCC Clubhouse. You can find out how to join this club at  www.pasadenacastingclub.org.

Curious how the Arroyo Seco would look and act if it was not covered in concrete? Look no further than the Lower Arroyo because, thanks to the City of Pasadena and BFI, a naturalized diversion of the stream wends its way through the area, reminding visitors of both the river's past and its hopeful future to once again flow free.

It appears that the Lower Arroyo is no longer a Pasadena Best-Kept Secret but that shouldn't stop you and your family from coming down for a little river fun in the city.

A River Lover's 12 Days of Christmas

As the traditional 12 days of Christmas arrive, here's my wish for the 12 things we could all do to love our rivers:

1. We will start each day by asking, 'where' is the water' and 'how do I protect it?'

2. We will re-connect with nature and enjoy the powerful joy of being present in the outdoors.

3. We will learn about and employ a watershed approach to resource management, including changing our approach to land use and real estate development to integrate healthy rivers into our urban designs.

4. We will stop tossing our trash out our car windows, onto our sidewalks, and among our nature trails because we know that everything that touches the ground ends up in our rivers and oceans.

5. We will honor our natural water systems by supporting a healthy habitat first, followed by reliable safety and flood control systems.

6. We will help injured animals and people in distress, coming from love, not ego, whenever we see them in pain or danger.

7. We will wonder at the birds that fly, the fish that swim, the animals that forage, and the peace that is known along a bucolic riverway, whether an urban, suburban, or rural stream.

8. We will be grateful for the safe. clean drinking water we have while we work to conserve water and improve secure potable water delivery in harmony with natural cycles.

9. We will revitalize our neighborhoods using 'green' principles that will protect our earth, water and sky.

10. We will practice individual and collective stewardship, to always leave our rivers, seashores, and wildlands in better condition than how we found them.

11. We will teach our children and grandchildren how to play in nature and be self-reliant, so they will know how to protect our rivers when we are gone.

12.  We will remember that our bodies are comprised mostly of water and as such, we are the river.  We will come to understand that restoring our rivers is also healing our own personal health.

Lake Hahamongna Appears in Pasadena

 If you were a casual observer, you might think that the above photo features a bucolic lake in the Midwest or South.

When the camera pulls back, though, it's evident that Lake Hahamongna is right here in Pasadena just above Devil's Gate Dam, where the Arroyo Seco flows through the Hahaongna Watershed Park, one of the last intact allevial fans in urbanized Southern California. (That's NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory in the far distance.)

The recent Los Angeles area rainstorms have dropped about 9 inches of rain in this foothills area, as of noon on December 21st, with another major storm entering the region tonight. Even though the flow of the Arroyo Seco is clearer than after last year's rains, this shot just above the Dam shows significant sediment build-up, possibly a result of last year's Station Fire.

By my estimation, Lake Hahamongna appears to be about two to four feet deep. The red buoys in the photos are to hold back debris flows from the Upper Arroyo Seco Canyon.  If you look closely, you'll see branch and log debris in addition to the sediment above the buoys.

This beautiful lake is reminiscent of the Arroyo Seco and the Los Angeles River in days of yore when both riverways ran free - a place where earth, water, vegetation, and animals lived in harmony among our Native Americans fishing for trout while floating along their waters in canoes. And as we all know, the Arroyo Seco is one of the main tributaries of the Los Angeles River, where fish movement once reached over 50 miles from the mountains to the sea.

Does this look like the place where soccer fields should be?

Even the Ducks Won't Get in the LA River

It was time to get out and survey the Arroyo Seco and LA Rivers today and check on water flows caused by our current heavy rainstorms.

To no surprise, both riverways were flowing heavily without obstruction and I did not note any obvious debris flows coming down the Arroyo Seco from the Station Fire burn areas.

As usual, it was interesting to note how the flow of the Arroyo Seco increases as it moves into the Northeast Los Angeles neighborhoods, mostly due to small stream and tributary flow from the North Branch in Highland Park at Sycamore Grove Park.

While I'm thrilled to see our local rivers actually filled with water, I'm sad that only 11% of this water will be captured by groundwater percolation, meaning that the rest will rush through the concrete channels to the ocean. 

On a happier note, the  LA City Council's approval of the Low Impact Development (LID) Ordinance this past week is a step in the right direction towards improving groundwater percolation and decreasing storm water run off into our riverways. As the photo above taken at Eads Avenue and the Los Angeles River attests, stormwater running along our streets ultimately finds its way, along with lots of trash and toxins, into our rivers.

While I'm still awaiting LA County Flood Control data, anecdotally, it's safe to say that when the ducks won't get into the LA River, the flow is pretty strong. This should be a guide for humans who are talking, tweeting and blogging about how they're going to kayak or coast down the LA River in this rain. I hope they'll take a clue from the ducks and stay safe.

The Station Fire, One Year Later: Post-Fire Habitat Restoration & Recovery Symposium

It's hard to believe that more than a year has passed since the devastating Station Fire in the Angeles National Forest and adjacent lands destroyed more than 160,000 acres of watershed.

This past week, the Los Angeles & San Gabriel Rivers Watershed Council and the US Forest Service hosted a one-day symposium at Descanso Gardens that looked in-depth at both the challenges of the fire's aftermath and the encouraging signs of rehabilitation and restoration.

More than 200 professionals crowded into Van de Camp Hall to hear from a number of experts and stakesholders, including Jody Noiron, US Forest Service Supervisor for Angeles National Forest at the time of the Station Fire, and Dr. Sabrina Drill of the University of California Cooperative Extension, who opened the program with an overview of the fire area and its impact.

The morning program, with presentations by Katie VinZant of the US Forest Service and CJ Fotheringham of the US Geological Survey, focused on post-fire invasive species control and the role of the built environment in wildland interface zones on impacted burn areas.

A number of presentations focused on the impact of the Station Fire upon vegetation, aquatic species and ecological succession after fire incidents.  Especially fascinating was US Geologist Survey ecologist Adam Backlin's presentation on how post-fire toxins in waterways affected fish and amphibians. The Arroyo Chub was a strong survivor but the Trout did not fare as well. The video of debris flows included in his presentation was breathtaking.

Long time California Native Plant Society board members, Cliff and Gabi McLean, shared an interesting photo presentation during lunch on how ecological succession occurs in post-fire recovery among native plants in a chaparral wildlands environment. Especially interesting was the role of annuals as the first indicators of vegetative life after a high intensity fire, which in this case reached temperatures about 7000 degrees (not a typo).

From a policy perspective, LA County Department of Public Works Dan Sharp outlined how the County plans to move forward with a new Flood Control District Sediment Management Strategic Plan to address all sediment issues, but particularly those created by the millions of cubic yards of sediment that have flowed down the Big Tujunga and Arroyo Seco into debris basins and other surface water capture areas.  Dan's comments were of particular interest to this writer since LA County is planning to move ahead to remove over 1.2 million cubic yards of sediment from Pasadena's Hahamongna Watershed Park alone. (See my related blogs on the Hahamongna.)

Andy Lipkis of TreePeople gave the audience hope for the future, speaking of the tremendous partnerships with the US Forest Service that will facilitate tree planting in Angeles National Forest as the long-term recovery continues.

All speakers participated in an audience Q&A panel discussion, with a focus on how recovery could lead to more sustainable practices and fire safe landscapes.

Dr. Nancy L. C. Steele, Executive Director of the Los Angeles & San Gabriel Rivers Watershed Council, reminded participants that the full scope of the symposium program will be the single-issue focus of LASGRWC's Spring 2011 edition of WatershedWise Magazine. 

The Arroyo Seco River Song

LA River Revitalization Corp Names First Executive Director

Omar Brownson, Chairman of the Board of the Liberty Hill Foundation and Associate Principal of Seslia and Company, was named today as the first Executive Director of the Los Angeles River Revitalization Corporation (LARRC), a non-profit organization created to improve the quality of Los Angeles by revitalizing the LA River Corridor with sustainable land development projects.

Brownson, a graduate of the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government and UC Davis, is a Coro Fellow with a background in real estate development and financing in the public and non-profit sectors.

Details of his specific role and duties will be announced shortly.

What If We Cut The Fence? Highland Park Leader Honored as Arroyo Seco Icon

She once shouted 'what if we cut the fence' to passing motorists racing along her beloved Arroyo Seco Parkway (don't dare call it the Pasadena or 110 Freeway). Over the years, she's worked with such diverse organizations and projects as the Audubon Society, the Arroyo Seco Scenic Trust, the Friends of the Southwest Museum Coalition, the Lummis Day Festival, ArroyoFest, and the Arroyo Seco Foundation, to just name a few.

Last Thursday night, Highland Park resident Nicole Possert was honored with the 2010 Arroyo Verde Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by the Council of Arroyo Seco Organizations (CASO) to honor an icon whose impact has promoted and protected 'Arroyo Culture' for a decade or longer.

For the past twenty years, Nicole has been a fixture at just about any Arroyo Seco corridor activity and event of significance. She cut her teeth on Arroyo Culture as a volunteer and Board President of the Highland Park Heritage Trust, which received the California Governor's Award for Historic Preservation and the Los Angeles Conservancy Preservation Award in 2002. From that civic starting point, there has been no stopping her. Nicole's community contribution and outreach efforts are so tremendous that even local politicos know to 'take her temperature' before announcing new initiatives and programs that may affect 'the Arroyo,' as she fondly calls it.

Congratulations, Nicole Possert, on your achievement as the 2010 Lifetime Achievement Arroyo Verde Award Winner. We look forward to another 20 years of service to the Arroyo Seco community.

It's Time to Cruise Along Christmas Tree Lane

ENJOY THIS REPOST FROM MY DECEMBER 2009 BLOG

The road sign post reads 'Santa Rosa Avenue' but everyone in Altadena and nearby Pasadena knows it as 'Christmas Tree Lane.'

Every year, since 1930, automobiles and walkers have journeyed up this street after dark to experience one of Southern California's most emotionally satisfying array of holiday light shows, with colorful globes hanging on the elongated branch arms of spectacular deodar cedar (Cedrus deodara) trees.

How to describe this magical experience? Think Christmas tree illustrations from Dr. Seuss' How theGrinch Stole Christmas' or Bing Crosby singing 'White Christmas' with a stand of towering snow-laden cedars in the background.

Though Christmas Tree Lane's deodars are rarely snow-laden due to the mild Southern California climate, they do come alive every year with extensive strands of 10,000 colored lights that draw visitors to the mile-long 'lane' from around the world.

What makes Christmas Tree Lane, an official California Landmark listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, special is that since 1956, Altadena's Christmas Tree Lane Community Association (CTLA) has continued this tradition on a purely volunteer basis, seeking donations to cover the electricity utility costs, and stringing and maintaining the light show through hundreds of hours of service from the efforts of local homeowners and renters, senior citizens and schoolchildren, Altadena veterans and newcomers to the community.

If you've visited Christmas Tree Lane before, why not drive by this year and recapture the magic of this "Mile of Christmas Trees?" If you've never visited, come on by and start a new family holiday tradition. The show runs nightly from dusk to midnight, now through January 7, 2011. Come see what happens when nature, technology and love converge along a foothills lane.

It's the Second Saturday of the Month...and You Know What That Means

There are many fun and FREE things to do in Northeast Los Angeles (NELA) along the Arroyo Seco but few are more imaginative and interesting than the monthly NELA Second Saturday Gallery Night Art Crawl.

What I love about Second Saturday is that it's easy to 'pick and choose' from over 30 galleries which open their doors monthly from 7-10pm.  During the summer months with late daylight, bicycling from gallery to gallery is fabulous. During the holiday season, it's a great night of art and shopping rolled into one excursion.

And then there are the nearby eateries. Here are some of my favorite nosheries while travelling between galleries:

Chico's (mariscos. ole') at Figueroa & Avenue 50 walking distance to the Avenue 50 Studio.

The York (also the local hangout for many NELA artists) & Cafe de Leche on York Blvd at Ave 50 near a cluster of galleries in walking distance

Taco Spot & The Coffee Table on Colorado Blvd in Eagle Rock walking distance to Jose Vera Fine Art & Toros Pottery

Of course, you'll find numerous food truck sightings, too. If you are one of THOSE foodies, go to http://www.findlafoodtrucks.com/ for truck locations.

Here are my 'stealth' recommendations for great gallery stops:

1. The MorYork Gallery at York & Avenue 50. The only public time you can get into this gallery is during Gallery Night and it's worth the visit. An amazing space created by the inimitable Clare Graham.
http://www.moryork.blogspot.com/

2. New Puppy Gallery in Cypress Park. A little out of the way but worth the trip for this adventuresome art spot with friendly hosts and a happy vibe.  http://www.newpuppyla.com/

Since today is the Second Saturday, here's your chance to come out tonight and visit some of the most fascinating galleries in all of Los Angeles. 

Here's the map: http://www.nelaart.com/images/maps/SecSatMap.pdf

A Greene & Greene Adventure at Pasadena's Bolton House

While much of my life revolves around the natural environment of the Arroyo Seco River corridor, the region's built environment, especially the Arts & Crafts Movement architecture so prevalent here, drives much of what we often refer to as 'Arroyo Culture.'

The Cultural Heritage Committee of the Pasadena-Foothills Association of Realtors just hosted its Winter Home Tour, and I was able to join other Greene & Greene architectural enthusiasts for an intimate tour of Pasadena's Bolton House.

Built in 1906 by Henry Greene and Charles Greene for Dr. William T. Bolton, this grand example of both early Craftsman architecture and furniture was restored by Architect Tim Andersen and was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.

Current owner Tom Reitze led a lively discussion of Greene & Greene character details found in the home, followed by a personal tour of the public rooms and master suite.  He pointed out a number of unique features, including the sliding doors on the china cabinets to keep glassware and china from falling out during an earthquake.

Thank you, Katie Adams Barnett, who spent many youthful years at the Bolton House, for arranging this informative and delightful tour.

Hahamongna Bloggers to be Honored with Arroyo Verde Award

Who knew that the small effort of 23 Pasadena area bloggers who collectively spoke out on our blogs last July about the City of Pasadena's plan to put soccer fields in the Hahamongna Watershed Park would have such an impact?

In recognition of the outreach, debate, and conversations generated from all our posts, the Arroyo Seco Foundation is honoring the "Hahamongna Bloggers" with the 2010 Best Advocacy Arroyo Verde Award.

This and all 2010 Arroyo Verde Awards will be presented on Thursday, December 8th, in a celebration from 6:30pm to 8:30pm at Kidspace Museum, Brookside Park, Pasadena.

The event is free and open to the public.

Special thanks to Petrea Burchard for organizing this blogging effort!

To read my Hahamongna Blog on the soccer field controversy, scroll down to the July 2010 archive and click, An Open Letter to the Pasadena City Council on the Hahamongna Athletic Fields.

Beginnings and Endings Along the Arroyo Seco

This past weekend was a poignant mix of beginnings and endings along the Arroyo Seco and adjacent Los Angeles River Elysian Valley region.

We celebrated a terrific new beginning with the Official Opening and Dedication of the Los Angeles River Bicycle Path which now offers walkers and bicylists a riverfront alternate transportation corridor with vistas of the LA River, White Heron, ducks, and local mountains. Many years in the making, this Bicycle Path (or as I'd prefer to call it, the River Path), now starts just northwest of the Arroyo Seco-Los Angeles River Confluence, winds its way through Elysian Valley/Frogtown and connects with the existing River Bike Path section to allow total connectivity to Griffith Park. At a more subtle level, this path facilitates wildlife migration between Griffith Park and the LA River.  The Dedication Ceremony, attended by approximately 300 people, included words of praise from Los Angeles City Council President Eric Garcetti and other public officials.

Another beginning at the other end of the watershed is the new Ale House on North Fair Oaks Avenue in Altadena, at the site of the old Pub. More living room than pub, the Ale House features a relaxed, non-hip, neighborhood hangout serving excellent British Ales, a variety of wines, and a yummy cheese plate to nosh on. Gail behind the bar keeps the atmosphere warm and friendly. It's a little stealth adventure to find it, since the old neon Pub sign is the only clue to its location, which probably is part of its charm. Think 'Cheers,' Altadena style.

On the endings side of the equation, this weekend saw final 'ArtBenders' for two landmark art studio/galleries at either end of the Arroyo Seco watershed. On the northmost end, Ben McGinty held his final 'show' and public gathering at his eclectic Gallery at the End of the World on Upper Lake in Altadena.  While Ben will continue to be a fixture at flea markets and art shows with his wares, the Gallery's closing marks his 15+ year journey to try to re-create the type of Altadena business neighborhood community that first brought artists to Altadena 100 years ago. The bittersweet farewell party brought together artists, locals and Arroyo art lovers for one final toast to Ben.

Down at the south end of the watershed just north of the confluence, Los Angeles Artist Icon Frank Romero and his wife Sharon geared up for their 29th Annual Xmas Art Sale, the last time the sale will be held at the Romero Frogtown Art Studio where Frank has held court for the past 30 years.  The Romeros have recently sold the studio to a promising young artist and will be relocating their studio to a new location soon. While the new location is not yet finalized, reliable sources indicate the Arroyo Seco region is the studio's likely new home.

LA County Dumps on Oaks and Sycamores in Arcadia

In the latest version of 'your tax dollars at work,' the Los Angeles County Flood Control District intends to start to clear 11.3 acres of old-growth oak and sycamore trees in Arcadia to create a dumping area for tons of debris dredged from the Santa Anita Dam.

This planned action should alarm Southern California nature lovers for two reasons:

First, this effort destroys a historic plantation of trees whose growth has taken decades to achieve in an area quickly losing tree canopies.

Secondly, this plan sets a precedent that could lead to similar old growth tree destruction in the Hahamongna Watershed Park in Pasadena next year when the County uses 'emergency funds' from FEMA to remove 1.2 million cubic feet of sediment from behind Devils Gate Dam.

Fortunately, open space activist Christle Balvin and the Sierra Club 'got wind' of the County's plan and have requested a meeting with the County to discuss alternatives to this tree removal.

And they need your help, to prove to the County that these trees matter. They've arranged an 'inspection tour' of the sediment disposal site for Saturday, December 4th at 9:30am at the end of Elkins Avenue in Arcadia. This is a case where body count may be the difference in protecting tree count. For more information, call 626-476-7324.

Los Angeles River December Celebrations

Saturday, December 4th is a day of celebation
along the Los Angeles River in Elysian Valley/Frogtown, just north of Downtown Los Angeles.

First, the long-awaited Los Angeles River Bicycle Path officially opens with a family festival from 10am to 2pm at Crystal Park by Fletcher Drive, with dedication ceremony at noon. This new Class I bikeway connects the Griffith Park bike path along The River through historic Elysian Valley at a comfortable grade for cyclists of all ages and skills. This new path is one of the few riverfront public spaces where the residents can enjoy the softbed section of the Los Angeles River, including sightings of Blue Heron, ducks, and bucolic vistas.

The second event is the 29th Annual Frank Romero Art Gallery Xmas Art Sale from 7pm to midnight, at Frank's iconic studio at 1625 Blake Avenue. This year's event is bittersweet, as it will be the last time it will be held in Frogtown, since Frank has recently sold this landmark to a promising young artist.

Both events are FREE and family friendly, so come down to the Los Angeles River and discover the heart of Los Angeles.

Arroyo Seco Watershed Assessment

It's been a few years since there has been a comprehensive watershed assessment on the Arroyo Seco. Now, thanks to the teamwork of the Arroyo Seco Foundation and its consultant, Camp Dresser McKee, Inc (CDM), a new assessment is available for review and comment by all stakeholders and other persons interested in the environmental health of the Arroyo Seco, Southern California's most treasured river canyon.

You can view at the assessment at http://www.arroyoseco.org/aswa.htm. Please leave your thoughts and comments.  Your input is vital as this information is shared with the City of Los Angeles, the City of Pasadena, Los Angeles County Public Works, and the US Army Corps of Engineers in support of the Corps' current work on its Arroyo Seco Feasibility Study for Habitat Restoration.

The Meaning of Quail

The recent sighting of a quail in Debs Park along the Arroyo Seco is exciting news for those who understand the process, both natural and human-assisted, of ecosystem restoration.

Quail are terrestrial birds, which means they live and forage at ground level. Members of the pheasant family, quail are an indicator species for the Arroyo Seco habitat corridor, because they are a sensitive species whose presence or absence 'indicates' the environmental health of the region.

For urban nature enthusiasts, the appearance of quail is usually an indicator that a habitat is approximately 90% restored to a natural functioning ecosystem. This sighting in Debs, along the lower corridor of the Arroyo Seco, is especially exciting given the urban density of the area.

Quail are common in the Upper Arroyo Seco Watershed, including headwaters in Angeles National Forest, although last year's Station Fire has devastated all natural habitats and has resulted in animal migration southward. Sightings of quail 'families' are common in the Hahamongna Watershed Park in Pasadena.  The Debs Park quail sighting adds new hope for continued ecosystem health in Los Angeles' historic Arroyo corridor.

A word of caution: quail lay eggs in ground nests that are easily disturbed and destroyed. That's one reason why we want you, your children, your bicycles, your dogs, and your horses to stay on established trails when enjoying an outdoor excursion. This is how YOU can help the quail live and thrive.

For more information on enjoying nature in Debs Park, visit http://ca.audubon.org/debs_park.php.

How a River Makes You Free

I imagine that since time immortal curious people who have come upon a riverway have asked, 'I wonder where it goes.'  This certainly has been a question that has led to lot of my personal explorations.

Americans love to talk about freedom, and nothing is freer than a natural river course flowing through the countryside or urban landscape. It's also usually free (no cost) to wander along its river banks while observing nature, creating art (music, plein air painting, photography, video), recreating (bicycling, golfing, horseback riding), meditating (yoga, tai chi) or picnicking with friends.

Rivers teach us so much about the flow of life, if we stop by their shores and contemplate enough about the ecosystem of which they are the centerpiece. Lessons like the power of gravity, the tremendous change achieved over a long period of time (tree growth, worn rock, eggs to tadpoles to frogs), and the 'moods' of water (angry, raging flows ~ bubbling brooks ~ languid glassy weirs).

In fact, much of America was 'discovered' as explorers followed riverways to see where they led. The Lewis & Clark Expedition to the Northwest Passage is a great example.

In modern times, though, we've put down roots and harnessed the power of the rivers for our drinking water, transportation corridor, and sanitation needs.

Often lost in our attempts to be 'civilized' is giving ourselves permission to be free. Because virtually all communities are established next to rivers, accessing river trails, bridges, and river parks is usually pretty easy.

And that is one of the great joys of the Arroyo Seco in Southern California.  For much of its 26+ mile journey from the Angeles National Forest to its confluence with the Los Angeles River, the Arroyo Seco is free and accessible by foot, horseback or bicycle.

Its northernmost shores are natural riparian habitat, with plenty of shade trees, song birds, and small wildlife, creating a bucolic idyll in the midst of the City of Pasadena and surrounding areas.

Its central shores focus on recreation with the Rose Bowl, soccer fields, and three golf courses providing outdoor fun within view of the river's edge, often overlooked because of the concrete channel in which it now flows. Yes, The Arroyo Seco, which flows through Brookside Golf Course, is even a water hazard and intrepid 'fishermen' are often seen retrieving golf balls from its stream.

Along the lower channelized Arroyo Seco in Los Angeles, there's the chance to walk/bicycle right next to the streambed along the approxinmately 2 mile Arroyo Seco Bikeway that connects York Blvd. to Avenue 43 via the river. (See my July 12, 2009 post on the Bikeway)

Yes, the river truly opens us to our free-est selves when we meander its shores. Yet none of us will truly be free until all our rivers flow free as well.  And that's why I work so hard to restore our urban riverways to their natural states.

Have you visited your river recently?

A Tale of Two Rivers ~ A Tale of Two Cities

It was a week of big decisions for the Los Angeles and Arroyo Seco Rivers.

First, the City of Los Angeles, which has encased its beautiful Los Angeles River in concrete for decades, received word from US EPA that the River and its tributaries have been declared 'traditionally navigable' waterways. This means both federal funds for restoration and revitalization under the Clean Water Act, as well as regulatory support to improving ecosystem and drinking water quality.

In contrast, the City of Pasadena, which has prided itself on its 'Arroyo Culture' and 'Arroyo Seco Master Plan,' saw its City Council refuse to reconsider its 7-year-old decision to construct new athletic fields in the sensitive Hahamongna riparian basin, groundwater source of drinking water to hundreds of thousands in the region and home to one of Southern California's most sensitive urban interface ecosystems. (In fairness, the Council did reject one of two proposed 'soccer' fields which would be located in a part of the Basin currently inundated as a small lake with ducks swimming in it.)

The irony? While Los Angeles continues to move forward in removing concrete and debris from the Los Angeles River, Pasadena moves forward with building an artificial turf athletic field and parking lot within its natural Arroyo Seco riverine corridor.

These actions beg the question: which city is truly more committed to natural resource sustainability and local water supply reliability?

An Open Letter to the Pasadena City Council on Hahamongna Athletic Fields

Dear Mr. Mayor and City Council Members:

Please support the Hahamongna Advisory Committee's request to reconsider current city plans to build an athletic field and parking lot in the Hahamonga Watershed Park.

As a resident and constituent, I am voicing support for this reconsideration in light of numerous changed conditions since the Council's initial approval of plans in 2003.

These include:

1. environmental, climate, and political factors that have negatively affected the security of our local water supply and water quality.

Pasadena's current heavy reliance on imported water at a time of protracted water shortage creates tremendous vulnerability for our City's ability to provide reliable domestic water for local businesses and residents. The recent Station Fire, which devastated the upper Arroyo Seco watershed, has caused increased run-off and groundwater toxins into this already vulnerable water basin. A healthy natural habitat is essential to supporting a clean local water supply, and the building of any new infrastructure, including those planned, will destroy key elements of one of Southern California's last remaining allevial canyons where five habitat zones intersect. The City's inability to provide for local long-term water storage, treatment, and distribution will have a wide ranging effect, including negative consequences for the City's very important tourism economic engine.

2. mobility barriers that make it difficult to reach the proposed fields.

The Hahamongna Watershed Park currently has access from a two-lane street which is already experiencing heavy traffic congestion. Further, the Park itself has narrow lanes for vehicular traffic. Because of the park's location and current natural/passive recreation atmosphere, it is not easily accessible by bicycle, walking, or bus/shuttle transit. This Council is already on record stating that there will be no new roads in the Hahamongna without direct Council approval. This means that in addition to the cost of building parking lots in the Hahamongna, which will both disturb rare and sensitive natural habitat as well as prevent vital groundwater percolation, it is highly likely that 'overflow' of cars and vans will end up creating their own 'roads' and parking on non-parking surfaces, as I have witnessed at other sports recreation complexes. As a soccer mom, I can personally attest to the amount of equipment, water, first aid, chairs, umbrellas and other 'entourage' materials that regularly are part of organized youth athletic activities. I fear that the end result of any field/parking lot construction will overburden already taxed mobility access and available surface parking.

3. lack of consistency between the Hahamongna Master Plan and Pasadena's Green City Action Plan.

Since City Council passed the Green City Action Plan in 2006, almost three years after the Hahamongna Master Plan was approved, there has been no formal effort to reconcile the Green City elements with the Hahamongna Plan. Given Pasadena's leadership within the US Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement and the 2006 United Nations Green Cities Declaration and Urban Environmental Accords, any final plans for the Hahamongna, including but not limited to athletic fields, would be flawed without coordination and reconcilitation of differences between these two important initiatives of the City, which prides itself as a sustainable community.

Your vote on July 12th to support reconsideration of the current city plan for athletic field construction in the Hahamongna will give our community and city staff a full opportunity to review and weigh the merits of current plans in light of the critical factors set forth above.

Thank you very much for your serious reflection on this request for reconsideration of plans for Hahamongna athletic fields. I look forward to your affirmative vote to support the reconsideration process.

Sincerely,

Meredith McKenzie
The Arroyo Lover

Swinging a Club along the Arroyo Seco

Walking along the Arroyo Seco the other day, I heard the 'whiff' sound that is music to those of us who are avid golfers.

While I often talk about restoring the Arroyo Seco, playing golf near the stream is one of many outdoor recreational reasons why I want this urban nature paradise to remain open and bucolic.

There are actually 2 golf courses along the Arroyo Seco: Brookside Golf Course in Pasadena next to the Rose Bowl, which is actually comprised of two courses (http://www.brookside.americangolf.com/) ; and the Arroyo Seco Golf Course (http://www.arroyoseco.com/), one of LA's top 10 par 3 courses, in South Pasadena.

What makes each of these courses special is that the Arroyo Seco runs through Brookside Golf Course, albeit in channelized form, while the Arroyo Seco Golf Course has a bubbling brook, a diversion of the nearby Arroyo Seco stream, running through it. What also makes them special is that both courses are public, open and accessible to everyone. In this post, we'll focus on the Arroyo Seco Golf Course.

One of the pleasures of the Arroyo Seco Golf Course is that since it is a Par 3 course, rank amateur golfers can play it without totally embarrassing themselves while more seasoned players can get in a quick game before or after work. In addition, the course features a miniature golf section for family fun, a large driving range and putting green.

Even if you are not a golfer, you will enjoy bringing your family to the 1950s era clubhouse and grill, where the kids can enjoy a burger and mom and dad can have an ice cold beer.

A short walk across the golf course's parking lot offers visitors a panoramic view of the Arroyo Seco, at one of its widest points south of Pasadena. Here the arroyo rock-lined stream offers southward vistas to and beyond the historic York Blvd. bridge, and northward vistas of the San Gabriel Mountains.

The Arroyo Seco Golf Course is part of South Pasadena's Arroyo Seco Park, which also includes equestrian trails, baseball diamonds, lighted tennis courts, and trails to the bucolic South Pasadena nature park along the Arroyo.

Directions: From the north: Arroyo Seco Parkway (Highway 110) south to York exit. Left at stop sign. Left onto York. Cross the bridge (stop and see the sights ~ see York Blvd. Bridge post). Left onto Arroyo Blvd. Look for Arroyo Seco Park sign on left. Left turn down into the park.

From the south: Arroyo Seco Parkways (Highway 110) north to Marmion Way/Avenue 64 exit. Take Avenue 64 to York Blvd.. Right on York. Cross the bridge and follow the remainder of the directions noted above.

Arroyo Seco's Rose Bowl Stadium: The Granddaddy of Them All

With the 2010 Rose Bowl Game now history and the BCS National Championship game just hours away, it seems fitting to spend a few minutes lauding the amazing Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena's Brookside Park, adjacent to the Arroyo Seco.

As an attendee at this year's Rose Bowl Game, I was reminded of the amazing sightlines from virtually any seat in the stadium (except the first 10 rows which are disappearing as part of a major stadium upgrade over the next few years).

While the Rose Bowl Operating Company, under the able leadership of Darryl Dunn, keeps a multitude of sports and entertainment events running smoothly year round, it is the stadium itself that fascinates me.

Most people don't realize that the Rose Bowl is both owned and operated by the City of Pasadena, a rarity in today's modern sports world. According to the Tournament of Roses history, Pasadena purchsed the 10 acre Arroyo Seco site where the stadium currents sits in 1897. Building of the stadium commenced in 1921 and the stadium, designed to be the 'official' home of the Rose Bowl Game, was dedicated on January 1, 1923.

Do you know which teams played in the first football game in the stadium? It was the University of California Bears versus the University of Southern California Trojans on October 22, 1922, the first of many north-south California college games.

Here are some more fun facts, courtesy of the Tournament of Roses organization:

The official seating capacity is 92,542.

The stadium is a National Historic Landmark and its design was based on the Yale Bowl in New Haven, Connecticut.

It sits at an elevation of 825 feet above sea level.

Its playing surface is natural turf comprised Bullseye Bermuda grass with rye, cut to 1/2 to 5/8 inch on game day.

There are 357 Musco light fixtures of high intensity, metal lark halide.

The stadium has an elliptical shape with a north-south configuration.

Legendary Architect Myron Hunt designed the stadium, which was built at a cost of $272,198.

Official Address: 1001 Rose Bowl Drive, Pasadena, California 91103

You don't have to be a sports fan to love the Rose Bowl. It's worth a trip to Pasadena to just experience this magnificent work of living history. Be sure to wear your walking shoes so you can enjoy all that Brookside Park has to offer, including the public Brookside Golf Course and bucolic walking and equestrian trails along the beautiful Arroyo Seco stream.

The Bridges of the Arroyo Seco ~ One in a Series: York Blvd. Bridge

Thousands of people drive over it each day, yet few know and appreciate the history and grandeur of Los Angeles' York Blvd. Bridge, which traverses the Arroyo Seco River between South Pasadena and the community of Highland Park/Garvanza.

Built in 1890 initially as a wooden trolley bridge, the York Blvd. Bridge received its concrete arch structure in 1912.

With a total length of 683.1 feet, the York Blvd. Bridge welcomes walkers on its sidewalk and heavy bicycle and motorized traffic along its two opposing lanes.

Eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, the York Blvd. Bridge's largest span reaches 96.1 feet in a closed spandrel arch design.

Much of the bridge's charm, however, is not merely its majestic clean design line span but rather its spectacular vistas of the natural beauty of the original home of Arroyo Culture.

Stand on the bridge looking northward and one is rewarded with panoramic views of the San Gabriel and San Bernardino Mountains, snow-capped in winter months.

Stand on the bridge facing southward and it's easy to imagine how idyllic the beautiful Arroyo Seco looked before its concrete channelization in the 1930s.

Like all older spans in Los Angeles, however, the York Blvd. Bridge faces an uncertain future. While its substructure condition rating is good, its superstructure rating and deck condition are poor and the bridge itself is considered 'functionally obsolete' under current state transportation construction rules.

Yet, comparing the historic turn of the 20th Century photo (below) showing the original trolley bridge facing southward (Photo Courtesy of Los Angeles Library) surprisingly indicates how the Arroyo Seco meanders today just as it did a century ago.

The bridge in the upper right of this old photo is the historic train trestle which today still carries passengers across it on the Gold Line light rail system.

Of course, the York Blvd. Bridge offers a different view at the Arroyo Seco Parkway level; yet, even while whizzing down the freeway, it is easy to be captivated by its grand archways and elegant, yet simple design.

Built for another era, the York Blvd. Bridge has passed the test of time to offer Angelinos and visitors a free sweeping view of the Arroyo Seco river canyon, if they would just get out of their cars for a few minutes and walk along its magnificent open span.