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Literature Review
LA County has a rich tradition of planning, as evidenced by the over 140 relevant adopted plans that were reviewed as context for updating the LA River Master Plan.
These plans span different geographic scales and topics and are the result of community-influenced processes. The LA River Master Plan leveraged the information from these plans as a foundation for understanding the river today and how it can be reimagined in the future (see Appendix Volume II, Technical Backup Document for full list of reviewed plans).
In addition to the 1996 LA River Master Plan, 11 other documents provided the most guidance for the LA River Master Plan update. The LA River Master Plan does not replace these plans. Rather, it incorporates the recommendations of these plans and provides an organizing framework within which LA County can comprehensively address the future of the LA River.
The LA River Master Plan leveraged the information from these plans as a foundation for understanding the river today and how it can be reimagined in the future
Common Ground from the Mountains to the Sea imagines strategies and opportunities for creating a new public amenity along the LA River corridor, the San Gabriel River, and their tributaries. It proposes a continuous ribbon of open space, trails, active and passive recreation areas, and wildlife habitat.
Los Angeles River Revitalization Master Plan (2007)
The Los Angeles River Revitalization Master Plan (LARRMP) provides a bold vision for transforming the LA River within the City of Los Angeles over the next several generations. The plan acknowledges that great and transformative change may not be accomplished in one lifetime; it must remain in the minds of the people who will carry it forward. The plan for this stretch of the river includes four core principles: revitalize the river, green the neighborhoods, capture community opportunities, and create value.
Go to project sites that came from this plan.
The Long Beach Riverlink aims to provide residents with 1,100 acres of recreational open space, including pedestrian- and bike-friendly pathways, along the LA River while also restoring segments of the river back to native habitats and improving the aesthetics of the river and the city.
Stormwater Capture Master Plan (2015)
The LA County Flood Control District Stormwater Capture Master Plan (SCMP) inventoried existing and planned actions by LA Department of Water and Power, the City of LA, other city, county, regional, and federal agencies, and local non-governmental entities that impact stormwater. The SCMP is organized around the goals of quantifying stormwater capture potential and identifying new projects, programs, and policies to significantly increase stormwater capture for water supply within a 20-year planning period (2016-2035).
The Los Angeles River Ecosystem Restoration Integrated Feasibility Report and its Recommended Plan present potential alternatives for environmental restoration of 11 miles of the LA River that include the soft-bottom Glendale Narrows. The study analyzes the environmental impacts of implementing those alternatives, reviews the process for selecting the best alternative, and concludes with recommendations for project implementation.
Los Angeles Countywide Comprehensive Parks and Recreation Needs Assessment (2016)
The Los Angeles Countywide Comprehensive Parks and Recreation Needs Assessment recognizes the importance of parks in contributing to public health and well-being, creating a sense of place, increasing community cohesion, improving the environment, and boosting the economy. The assessment inventoried and identified needed parks and recreation facilities in cities and unincorporated communities in LA County.
Los Angeles Sustainable Water Project: Los Angeles River Watershed (2017)
The Los Angeles Sustainable Water Project: Los Angeles River Watershed study demonstrates the complex interrelationships of projects designed to achieve different objectives within urban water management. The study models the impacts of implementing integrated water management practices in the LA River watershed, which address water quality and supply. The study also investigates the historical hydrology of the LA River and the impact of best management practices (BMPs) on runoff ratios.
One Water 2040 LA Plan Volume 4 – Los Angeles River Flow Study (2017)
One Water 2040 LA Plan employs a holistic and collaborative approach to managing water resources, which includes surface water, groundwater, potable water, gray water, wastewater, recycled water, and stormwater. One Water 2040 LA Plan Volume 4 is a study on low flow in the LA River. The study includes five water management concepts that optimize the amount of flow needed to support potential future water-dependent uses and satisfy regulatory requirements.1Current SCCWRP LAR Flow Study efforts to supplement LA’s vision of the LAR. For more information https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/larflows.html
Lower Los Angeles River Revitalization Plan (2017)
The Lower Los Angeles River Revitalization Plan (LLARRP) describes opportunities for improving the environment and residents’ quality of life along a reimagined and revitalized river from Vernon south, and identifies and designs multi-benefit projects and policies to implement in the area around the river. The LLARRP addressed three broad goals: community economics, health, and equity; public realm; and water and environment.
Los Angeles County Annual Affordable Housing Outcomes Report (2019)
The Affordable Housing Outcomes Report provides a foundational understanding of affordable housing needs and investments in the county. The report assesses housing affordability based on housing and population characteristics and highlights the county’s 517,000 shortfall in affordable housing units. It also summarizes public expenditures on affordable housing over time and offers recommendations to support the production and preservation of affordable homes.
Los Angeles River Ranger Program Establishment Plan (2019)
Led by the Rivers and Mountains Conservancy and Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, this plan responds to Assembly Bill 1558 and develops a program for a network of river rangers along the LA River. The mission is to foster connections between communities, agencies, and resources to promote safe, equitable usage and stewardship of the LA River and its tributaries as an activated greenway that supports ecological, social, and recreation opportunities.
Upper Los Angeles River & Tributaries Revitalization Plan (2020)
The mission of the Upper Los Angeles River and Tributaries Revitalization Plan is to develop prioritized opportunities with the following components: Nature based and watershed management; Open space; Multiple benefits; Safe access; Alignment with community needs and feedback; Alignment with funding sources; Reduction and management of existing flood risks to communities; Culture, arts, and education; Reconciliation with previous efforts. From the lens of two subcommittees, People & Recreation and Water & Environment, prioritized opportunities have been identified to enhance the quality of life for communities within the upper watershed.