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Rivers of Los Angeles County
| River |
Stream Miles
(main stem) |
Drainage Area
(square miles) |
| Los Angeles River |
97 |
830 |
| Rio Hondo River |
20 |
125 |
| San Gabriel River |
59 |
350 |
| Santa Clara River |
75 |
1,616 |
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
If the concrete channels of the Los
Angeles River were demolished and the river could flow freely
again, it is
estimated that three to four million people would have to relocate to stay out
of the way of
seasonal flooding. Most of the river's natural and historical
course would cut widely through scores of
ommunities. Most of the Los Angeles
River now courses narrowly through a long concrete channel to
the sea. In 1995,
the environmental group American Rivers called the Los Angeles River the most
endangered urban waterway in the United States. Many local environmentalists,
however, believe that
the concrete channel that we call the Los Angeles River is
no longer a true river. They lament that it is
mostly a concrete channel for
runoff rain. To them, the historical Los Angeles River is long gone.
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