River History

c. 800B.C.

Gabrielino-Tongva Tribe settles along the Los Angeles River
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1769

Portola Expedition finds a “good sized, full flowing River,” lined with lush greenery.
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1781

Spanish colonists found El Pueblo de la Reina de los Angeles and build Zanja Madre to deliver water to the pueblo.
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1781-1913

L.A. River is the sole water source for Los Angeles.
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1913

L.A. Aqueduct is completed to import water from the Owens River
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1934-38

Floods take 85 lives and cause $23 million in property damage.
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1938-1959

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers builds a concrete channel for the River and major tributaries, and storm drains channel rainfall into the River.
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1986

Friends of the Los Angeles River founded by Lewis MacAdams
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1989

State Assemblyman proposes turning the River into a truck freeway. “Over our dead bodies,” FoLAR says and publicly builds revitalization momentum. First annual FoLAR River Clean-Up (La Gran Limpieza) draws 30 people.
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1991

Mayor Tom Bradley creates River Revitalization Task force
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2001

CA State Parks purchase two former industrial rail yards, the ‘Not-A-Cornfield’ site and Taylor Yard; battles to win the sites from developers mark a new approach to land use downtown and along the River.
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2006

La Gran Limpieza draws 3000 volunteers
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2007

City of L.A. adopts the L.A. River Revitalization Master Plan which designs a 32-mile greenway from Canoga Park through downtown L.A. to Vernon.
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Seasonal River Floods               Olympic Blvd.                  N. Spring Street              Cesar Chavez Bridge

March 4,1941                                   1925                                  1929                                        1926
                                            
Glendale-Hyperion Viaduct                        N. Spring Street Viaduct                            First Street viaduct

1929                                                         1929                                                                 1929

                                         

Arroyo Seco                                         Fourth Street Viaduct                        N. Main Street Bridge

1913                                                            1931                                                   1910