Los Angeles water officials are restoring year-round flow to 62 miles of the Lower Owens River, with hope that the waterway will once again support plant and wildlife and become an eco-tourist attraction for ailing Inyo County.
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power will redirect water to the Lower Owens River in Inyo County, the first appreciable water flow since 1912. County officials hope that the 62-mile long river, with its constant water flow, will spark tourism to the region. "Sports enthusiasts and environmentalists are already drafting guide maps for miles of hiking trails, bird-watching hot spots, bass-fishing tournaments and a kayaking experience they are calling the 'the long glide' because the river's carefully controlled flows will be free of rapids and waterfalls."
DWP stream ecologist Brian Tillemans explains: "The water released on Dec. 6 will take roughly 19 days to reach dention ponds in the northern end Owens Lake." There, four 600-horsepower pumps will lift it and send it into the aqueduct and on its way to Southern California. ["Restoring a River" video included with article.]
Read the full story: A long, dry wait is nearly over for the Owens River
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago breaks ground on $3 billion megadevelopment
The new neighborhood, titled Foundry Park, will one day host 3,700 residences.
This MA town is drowning in its own sewage — and residents like it that way
Susan Murcott, a waste water expert, said if Carlisle didn't address their leaking sewage, the problem could turn “deadly.”
Feds to more closely scrutinize proposed Amtrak facility’s environmental impact
The Federal Railroad Administration had initially said the facility qualified for a less extensive environmental review.
Boston is hard to build housing in: its chief of planning wants to keep it that way
Chief of Planning Kairos Shen said she would not make changes to Boston’s affordability requirements for new housing, which critics say have slowed down development.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello