Posted by on 12 July 2011 | 0 Comments

A nice bunch of blog posts this week about the LA River, ranging from thoughts about the river's watershed, to government and gardens. For instance:

Jesus Sanchez, writing in his award-winning blog The Eastsider LA, talks about city planners turning their attention to river-side design:

...the city’s  Planning Department has continued to refine a much more modest set of guidelines that would apply to all new construction along the river. The guidelines would require, among other things, that larger property owners provide an entrance or access to the river, hide parking lots and mechanical systems behind screens; and...

One comment on the post says having a river in the neighborhood is like winning the lottery. Lots more info at Jesus' full post here.

Over at the lovely and thoughtful blog, LA River Fly FIshing (tagline: Fishing for carp, waiting for steelhead), a meditation on the LA River's watershed, and questions about what, if any, purpose the Brown Mountain Dam serves today.

You’ve got to ask yourself, why, with the county ready to pour some $32 million into dredging and dumping the area above Devils’ Gate Dam, this little gem goes unnoticed.

More good questions -- and even better writing -- in the full post here.

Did you know there's a site and blog devoted to the day the LA River is open to boating? LA River Expeditions -- give it a look.

If you've ever enjoyed the shade and green of trees along the pedestrian pathways of the LA River, chances are you've got landscape architect Scott Wilson, and the community group, North East Trees, to thank. From the LA Times' addictive garden and design blog:

Many of the 35 parks and street plantings done by North East Trees are along the Los Angeles River. Wilson's group is working on the Glendale Narrows Riverwalk, a half-mile pedestrian and bike trail near Griffith Park (a portion is shown at the top of the post).

Lots more info on Wilson and the group in the full post here.

For a touch of the country, Randall Mah of the Chatsworth Patch site suggests a visit to the Brown's Creek bike path, which runs along an LA River feeder in a rural part of Chatsworth:

Roosters crow, birds chirp, and horses snort as sweaty hikers and bicyclists navigate uneven paths and twisted tree roots. Benches sheltered by drooping branches invite adventurers to escape the July heat, the setting sun having painted the sky lavender and pink. The trickle of the nearby creek and the tapping hooves of two black ponies walking with their owner soothe the weary traveler.

“It’s really pretty. Very rustic,” says Thomas Nolasco, 59, as he walks towards the northern end of Browns Creek Bike Path in Chatsworth on a Saturday evening, temperatures still in the 80s.

Tons more details and ambiance at the full post, from the Chatsworth Patch site, right here.

For a family day of LA River activities, look no farther than this very web site -- our guide to kid-friendly activities is right here.