Los Angeles River Youth
About Alec
Hi, I'm Alec, a high school student in Los Angeles. If you're wondering how I became interested in the L.A. River, other than being a resident of Los Angeles, it was all due to my school.
I had always been aware of the Los Angeles River. When I was little, we used to live close by the river, and whenever it rained more than usual, my parents would talk about it in concerned tones, though at the time, I didn't understand why. I remember watching from the back seat of our car as people biked along the top of the river's concrete walls, like an urban high-wire act, hoping they didn't fall in.
But it wasn't until high school that my curiosity about this L.A. landmark peaked--not because of a class or a presentation. The thing that sparked my interest, was the giant storm drain running through the middle of my school. You heard me.
This deep, wide channel bisects my school in an S curve. We have two bridges that span the channel to connect the two sides of the campus. Every spring, freshmen on the JV Baseball team are tasked with the impossible goal of retrieving foul balls from the "river." And every fall, an urban legend somehow finds its way to the ears of each new student: If it rains and the water reaches all the way up to a certain mark on the channel walls, school will be dismissed and we will all be sent home!
Is this urban legend true? Probably not. And that "certain mark" on the wall is likely just a random groove in the concrete. But it intrigued me--what would happen if the water got that high? How would that impact my school? (other than the much-desired day off)
From there, I extrapolated to a larger channel: the Los Angeles River. With storms becoming more and more severe, and floods more common, could the L.A. River overflow? What then?
My research into the L.A. River started as a casual hobby but quickly became an enthusiasm for the subject. However, the more I learned, the more concerned I became. There is a tangible threat on the horizon in Los Angeles and the wheels of government might turn too slowly to have any real effect. It's up to you and me to educate our friends and neighbors and to advocate for those in danger. I hope you'll join me in being part of the solution.