The Fish In The Los Angeles River
Delilah McMahan
Apgar
WGST 3200
Final
River Fish
Fish in The Los Angeles River
The Los Angeles River flows through 17 cities stretching 51 miles in total. The river was an essential life force for the ecosystems in the region for thousands of years until humans decided it would be better suited for sewage and weather drainage in 1938.
Surrounding native people, forest, and wildlife in and around the river depended on the Los Angeles River. The Tongva were one of the original LA River cultivators and lived in harmony with the rivers natural ups and downs. Trout, shrimp, and salmon were just a few of species that lived in the Los Angeles River before the huge migration in the early 1900's. A rainbow trout caught in 1940 was the last Los Angeles River native fish to be caught. It is baffling to comprehend that it took a only 50 years to change the aquatic ecosystem forever.
The River was the main source of water for Los Angeles citizens until 1905 when the population began to increase. Those who flooded into the region at this time were unaware of how to coexist with the river and what it has to offer. Like todays citizens, many of these migrants viewed the river as an unnecessary obstacle.
The Railroad to Health
The first substantial modern migration to Southern California were people searching for the rumored healing powers of the region. In total there were three "rushes" to California. The health rush came first in 1860 and grew rapidly with the railroad development. Standards for sanitation were rising instigating the migration.
Up until 1905, The Los Angeles River was the main source of water for the growing region. It was soon after 1905 that the future of the River began to change for the worse. Migrants to the region grew at unprecedented rates that the River could not sustain unless managed properly. In 1905 the population in Los Angeles was 102,000. In comparison, the city had only 12,000 citizens when the health rush first began, and currently Los Angeles has a population of 12,488,000.
It's ironic that migrants in the region had entirely omitted the importance of the Los Angeles River for their health considering their health is what brought them to the area. A river cultivated successfully can bring health to all ecosystems including our own species.
Restoring The Los Angeles River would increase the health and numbers wildlife in and around the river. The fish in rivers play a crucial role for the environment and humans. The leading cause of death in California is heart disease, and at least one in three adults in the state suffers from cardiovascular disease.
Through my research, I found that fish can lower the risk of heart disease, decrease plaque in our arteries, and slightly lower blood pressure. Unfortunately the fish that do swim through the LA River are swimming in highly contaminated water.
Clean Water
The river is not properly filtered, and according to the director of Friends of The LA River, 35 million gallons of sewage water enters the Los Angeles River every day. The River has the opportunity and history of being a haven for citizens and surrounding ecosystems, including the aquatic wildlife that could potentially lower health concerns for all seventeen cities that it streams through. There is a severe algae growth concern in the river that with the support of increased aquatic life can be tamed. The reduction of algae would result in a decrease in bacteria.
The federal clean water act only allows for bacteria levels in the Sepulveda Basin and Elysian Valley to reach 235 per 100 milliliters per 100 milliliters, but bacteria levels in the River often spike to more than 20,000 per 100 milliliters.
The Fish Matter
Local fishermen at The Los Angeles River call the wildlife beneath the surface, Dumster Dolphins. The bass, carp, catfish, and bluegill that still swim through the river serve as a reminder that there is still hope to restore what once thrived in the heart of Los Angeles. The LA River fish have to be taken into consideration in the restoration, not only for their sake but for the sake of the river. Fish and other aquatic life are critical components in restoring the rivers water quality. My dad is a fisherman in the state of Hawaii and local fishermen speak of the sustainable practices they use that allow all the ecosystems to coexist; including our own. This way of life is possible to obtain. The Los Angeles River has the capacity to be a cite of flourishing ecosystems for all of the life in the region.