MAYOR VILLARAIGOSA, INYO COUNTY AND LADWP
RELEASE FIRST SEASONAL WATER FLOW INTO LOWER OWENS RIVER
DIGNITARIES TRAVERSE RIVER BY BOAT TO VIEW HABITAT RESTORATION
AS LONG-DRY CHANNEL RETURNS TO LIFE

OWENS VALLEY, CALIF. - Marking a milestone in one of the world's largest river ecosystem restoration projects, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Inyo County government officials released the first seasonal water flow into the Lower Owens River today, then toured the channel by boat to witness its remarkable rebirth.

"Today, along these banks, we see the initial fruits of an historic turnaround story beyond any that Hollywood could dream up," Mayor Villaraigosa said. "Where the river channel lay cracked and dry for almost 100 years, in a year the flow of water has nurtured an entire river ecosystem back to life."

During the seasonal water release, flows will increase from 40 cubic feet per second to 200 cubic feet per second and then ramp down again. The annual two-week process emulates natural seasonal flows to flood the riverbanks, and promotes growth of willows, cottonwood trees and other riparian habitat.

Following the seasonal water flow release at the Los Angeles Aqueduct Intake, Mayor Villaraigosa, L.A. City and Inyo County officials, environmental and Owens Valley representatives toured a 1½-mile section of the river on canoes and drift boats to observe the river restoration progress.

Since the first continuous flows were released into the Lower Owens River on Dec. 6, 2006, biologists, recreational enthusiasts and others are reporting that the river ecosystem restoration has surpassed expectations. In particular, a strong fishery has already colonized the river with large mouth bass, catfish, carp and bluegill -- a hallmark of the project's success, since one of the key goals of the LORP is to improve the fishery for recreational fishing.

"The success of the LORP demonstrates the commitment of the City of Los Angeles and Department of Water and Power to restoring the Owens Valley ecosystem and to good stewardship of these lands for the benefit of the environment and the people of the Owens Valley," said David Nahai, LADWP's CEO and general manager.

The LORP is designed to provide mitigation for impacts related to ground water pumping by LADWP in the Owens Valley between 1970 and 1990. The project involves returning a steady flow of water into 62 miles of the Lower Owens River below Big Pine and down to the Delta of Owens Lake, located just south of Lone Pine, Calif.  Additional water has already begun to create hundreds of acres of wetland habitat for waterfowl, shorebirds, and other water associated species.

Inyo County Fifth District Supervisor Richard Cervantes said he believes the LORP will become a huge economic and environmental resource for southern Inyo County. He pledged to work with Mayor Villaraigosa, the Department of Water and Power, Inyo County Supervisors, Inyo County employees, and the general public to build a partnership team based on mutual respect. "By working together, we can provide the highest quality environment for man and wildlife in the Owens Valley," Cervantes said.

"The LORP seasonal habitat flow is the most important management tool for development of the Lower Owens into a river again," said Mark Bagley, Sierra Club Owens Valley representative.  "I'm pleased to see the progress so far, and there are many challenges ahead, but this first seasonal habitat flow is a important milestone in the process."

Carla Scheidlinger, president of the Owens Valley Committee, said her committee is extremely pleased that the seasonal habitat flows are going to be implemented today. "We have long recognized that the management of a system as complex as a river, especially one that is ‘multi-tasking' by serving as a water and power source for a distant metropolis as well as for habitat where it actually flows, requires more than just adding water. The habitat flows are an important first step in the ongoing work of this management," Scheidlinger said.

The LORP area encompasses 78,000 acres, consisting of a diverse mix of riparian, wetlands and river vegetation, river channel and open water, seeps and springs. Beginning this summer, teams of scientists from LADWP, Inyo County Water Department and project consultant Ecosystem Sciences will conduct the first detailed monitoring effort to begin the detailed process of tracking the progress of the LORP ecosystem restoration.

The monitoring will be conducted over 15 years at periodic intervals-ranging from daily to yearly-to reflect changes during various seasons over time. The monitoring plan includes a detailed land management program to ensure the proper management of livestock and other land uses to protect the habitat.

As part of the land program for the LORP, a recreation plan is being implemented that focuses on allowing public access for self discovery, while minimizing impacts to the river system. Walk-in access points with parking areas, and boat launch areas have been created along the river fencing to facilitate this goal.

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The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power was established more than 100 years ago to provide a reliable and safe water and electric supply to the City of Los Angeles residents and businesses. The LADWP serves approximately 1.4 million electric customers and 680,000 water service customers. For more information, log on to http://www.ladwp.com/.