09/23/2026
Annual maintenance activities to improve flood-risk mitigation for portions of the Los Angeles River under U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District responsibility have begun Sept. 23 near the Taylor Yard in Los Angeles, California.
The LA District maintains 22 miles of the LA River Flood Control Channel, removing sediment buildup as well as invasive plant species that impact channel capacity. Common culprits include giant reed, castor bean and palms. These fast-growing, non-native plant species frequently impair water flows by rooting in riparian zones, where they accumulate sediment and debris, as well as block vital features such as drain pipes which impact flood-risk mitigation efforts. Contractors remove these species by hand to ensure native plant species as well as bird nests are avoided, then sediment buildups are removed from concrete portions of the channel to release shoaling and allow water flows to freely travel the system as designed. The project aims to remove around 100,000 cubic-yards in preparation of the winter rain season.
To learn more about the LA River and active projects undertaken by USACE to maintain it, visit https://www.spl.usace.army.mil/Missions/Asset-Management/Los-Angeles-River/
