If the Los Angeles River could speak, she would be hailed as a survivor. Stretching 51 miles from the Simi Hills to the Pacific Ocean, she navigates a densely populated area, enduring urban pollution and runoff. Despite being confined in a concrete straitjacket since the 1930s, pockets of her original beauty remain. The Sepulveda Basin, nestled between major highways, showcases her natural sandy basin and lush vegetation.
Melanie Winter, a dedicated kayaker, has long been advocating for the river’s restoration. By removing invasive plants and restoring native habitats, she aims to improve water quality and enhance the river’s natural charm. Winter envisions a future where the entire river mirrors the beauty of the Sepulveda Basin, winding peacefully amidst native flora and fauna.
Despite ongoing efforts, concrete removal remains a challenge. Ambitious plans, like the $20 billion “L.A. River Master Plan,” propose developments along the riverbank but lack concrete removal. Architect Frank Gehry’s vision includes elevated parks and structures, citing flood risks as a barrier to concrete removal. While Winter applauds the progress, she advocates for a more natural approach to revitalizing the Los Angeles River.
In the battle between nature and concrete, the mysterious kayaker continues her mission to restore the river’s essence and preserve its legacy for generations to come.
In a passionate critique of the city and county’s reliance on large-scale engineering projects, Winter argues that encasing the river in concrete was a disastrous decision with significant environmental consequences. Various environmental organizations, such as Friends of the Los Angeles River (FoLAR), Heal the Bay, and the Nature Conservancy, have voiced their opposition to the proposal, citing concerns about ecological damage.
Winter advocates for a more holistic approach that focuses on restoring the ecosystems of the river’s watershed areas, such as the Arroyo Calabasas, Tujunga Wash, and Rio Hondo. She proposes implementing a comprehensive watershed strategy that includes reducing the city’s concrete footprint, creating open spaces with permeable surfaces, and revitalizing natural riverine habitats to enhance biodiversity, climate resilience, and groundwater recharge.
Describing her approach as “multisolving,” Winter emphasizes the interconnected benefits of addressing the river’s challenges, including mitigating the city’s park shortages, enhancing water resources, reducing heat impacts, and improving public health. By transforming neglected areas into green spaces and promoting sustainable water management practices, Winter aims to shift the perception of the river from a mere storm drain to a valuable asset.
The debate surrounding the future of the L.A. River involves multiple stakeholders, including city officials, engineers, residents, and activists, each with differing visions for its development. The river’s potential as a recreational and ecological resource has been overshadowed by conflicting interests and past failed initiatives. Winter’s hands-on approach, which involves community engagement and targeted interventions to improve water quality and habitat restoration, offers a promising alternative to conventional engineering solutions.
As discussions continue on how best to utilize and preserve the L.A. River, Winter’s advocacy for sustainable, nature-based solutions underscores the need for a more inclusive and environmentally conscious approach to river management. By reimagining the river as a living ecosystem rather than a mere infrastructure project, there is potential to create a healthier, more resilient urban environment for both wildlife and residents alike.
The Enhanced Water L.A. Initiative, implemented in collaboration with the Coastal Conservancy and the State Department of Water Resources, undertook the retrofitting of 22 residential properties as a case study. According to Winter, the initiative revealed that the retrofitted homes led to a 25% decrease in water usage on average, provided 18,175 square feet of native plants and trees for various environmental benefits, and could capture and purify an estimated 1.2 million gallons of water in a year with average rainfall. This not only enhanced the water quality of the river but also came at an average cost of $5,200 per homeowner. Winter is enthusiastic about demonstrating that these small-scale solutions can be expanded to have a larger impact, offering more environmentally friendly and cost-effective alternatives compared to the large-scale infrastructure projects typically favored by city officials.
For much of the year, the river flows with minimal water, allowing Hollywood to film renowned car chase scenes in the iconic concrete channels. However, during winter storms, the river can suddenly swell, surpassing the concrete barriers and necessitating urgent rescue operations. Given the prolonged drought affecting California, Winter questions the wisdom of maintaining the river’s concrete channel, originally designed to swiftly drain stormwater out of the city and into the ocean.
Melanie Winter, a former Hollywood actress and Broadway dancer, developed a passion for the river during her work with FoLAR in 1996, organizing annual cleanups that remove up to 60 tons of debris. Introducing her to watershed management, environmental advocate Dorothy Green ignited Winter’s dedication. In 2000, Winter established her nonprofit organization, The River Project, advocating for a more comprehensive approach. She successfully sued the city over the commercial development plan for Taylor Yard, securing the land and $45 million in state funding. This effort culminated in the creation of the 240-acre El Rio de Los Angeles State Park in 2007, a significant achievement driven by Winter’s leadership.
Reflecting on her accomplishments, Winter acknowledges the challenges she faced and the importance of her work. Her residence in Studio City overlooks one of her projects, the Valleyheart Greenway, which was brought to life with the help of local schoolchildren and features imaginative elements such as the Great Toad Gate, Butterfly Bench, Snake Wall, Hummingbird Gardens, and Story Fence.
Winter envisions a different Los Angeles shaped by the Olmsted-Bartholomew Plan from the 1930s, which depicted the river as a vital green space enriching the lives of Angelenos. Prior to the 1930s, the river supported native Chinook salmon and rainbow trout, species that have since disappeared.
With a recent lung cancer diagnosis and a limited prognosis, Winter remains committed to advocating for the river and realizing her vision of a vibrant, living waterway. Her dedication underscores her belief in the transformative power of environmental stewardship and community engagement.
This article is part of Waterline, an ongoing series
