Editing Los Angeles River (section)

==Course==
[[File:Origin of the Los Angeles River in Canoga Park.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Arroyo Calabasas]] (left) and [[Bell Creek (Southern California)|Bell Creek]] (right) join to form the Los Angeles River]]
[[Image:Los-Angeles-River-near-downtown-Aerial-view-from-west-August-2014.jpg|thumb|200px|right|LA River near downtown LA during drought in 2014]]

The Los Angeles River's official beginning is at the confluence of two [[River engineering#Channelization|channelized]] streams – [[Bell Creek (Southern California)|Bell Creek]] and [[Arroyo Calabasas]] – in the [[Canoga Park, California|Canoga Park]] section of the city of Los Angeles, just east of [[California State Route 27]] (Topanga Canyon Boulevard), at {{Coord|34.1952|N|118.601838|W}} (the east side of [[Canoga Park High School]]). Bell Creek flows east from the [[Simi Hills]], and Arroyo Calabasas flows north from the [[Santa Monica Mountains]]. From there the river flows east through a concrete [[flood control]] channel and very soon receives [[Browns Canyon Wash]], which flows south from the [[Santa Susana Mountains]]. The river then bends slightly south and receives [[Aliso Creek (Los Angeles County)|Aliso Canyon Wash]], whose watershed adjoins that of Browns Canyon. The river then flows through the district of [[Winnetka, Los Angeles, California|Winnetka]], then [[Reseda, Los Angeles, California|Reseda]] and enters the Sepulveda Basin, a flood-control reservoir formed by the [[Sepulveda Dam]].<ref name=summary>{{cite web|url=http://www.tpl.org/content_documents/E01_losangeles.pdf|title=Los Angeles River|publisher=www.tpl.org|work=The Trust for Public Land|access-date=2009-08-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060303144447/http://www.tpl.org/content_documents/E01_losangeles.pdf|archive-date=2006-03-03}}</ref><ref name="google-maps">{{cite map |publisher=Google Maps |title=Map of the Los Angeles River |year=2009 |cartography=NAVTEQ |access-date=2009-08-20 |url=https://maps.google.com/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141013184342/https://maps.google.com/ |archive-date=2014-10-13 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.urbanedpartnership.org/target/units/river/tour/headw.html |title=Urbanization spreads into the watershed of the Los Angeles River |publisher=www.urbanedpartnership.org |work=Urban Education Partnership |access-date=2009-08-20  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070307065437/http://www.urbanedpartnership.org/target/units/river/tour/headw.html |archive-date=March 7, 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://seriss.com/people/erco/fovicks/|title=Friends Of Vast Industrial Concrete Kafkaesque Structures – Page 1|publisher=Seriss Corporation|access-date=2009-08-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090321120835/http://seriss.com/people/erco/fovicks/|archive-date=2009-03-21|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:L.A. River Tujunga Wash under Colfax.jpg|thumb|Receiving the Tujunga Wash (right) in Studio City.]]

As the river proceeds into the usually-dry reservoir, it spills out into a channel that is similar to its historical, non-channeled form. It crosses under Balboa Boulevard and then receives [[Bull Creek (Los Angeles County)|Bull Creek]]. The river then passes through the [[Gatehouse (waterworks)|outlet works]] of Sepulveda Dam, {{convert|43|mi|km}} from the mouth. It flows again into a concrete channel and crosses under the [[Interstate 405 (California)|San Diego (405) Freeway]] as it passes through [[Van Nuys, California|Van Nuys]], [[Sherman Oaks, California|Sherman Oaks]], and [[Studio City, California|Studio City]], still flowing east. Paralleling [[U.S. Highway 101]] briefly, it then veers southeast, away from the highway, and receives from the left the [[Tujunga Wash]], one of its largest tributaries, which flows southwest and south from the [[Angeles National Forest]] in the [[San Gabriel Mountains]]. The river then rounds a bend to the northeast, now in a concrete box culvert, and crosses under the [[State Route 170 (California)|Hollywood (170) Freeway]] and Highway 101, and receives [[Burbank Western Channel]] on the left bank, {{convert|39|mi|km}} from the mouth.<ref name=summary/><ref name="google-maps"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.urbanedpartnership.org/target/units/river/tour/sp.html|title=Sepulveda Basin and Dam|publisher=www.urbanedpartnership.org|work=Urban Education Partnership|access-date=2009-08-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070307065601/http://www.urbanedpartnership.org/target/units/river/tour/sp.html|archive-date=2007-03-07}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://seriss.com/people/erco/fovicks/lar-3.html|title=Friends Of Vast Industrial Concrete Kafkaesque Structures – Page 3|publisher=Seriss Corporation|access-date=2009-08-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090321103838/http://seriss.com/people/erco/fovicks/lar-3.html|archive-date=2009-03-21|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Los Angeles River Glendale.jpg|thumb|left|Looking east (downstream) at the Glendale Narrows. Unlike most of the river, this stretch has an earthen bottom.]]

The river then begins to parallel the [[California State Route 134|Ventura (134) Freeway]] as it winds through [[North Hollywood]] and the city of [[Burbank, California|Burbank]]. It then crosses under the [[Interstate 5 in California|Golden State (5) Freeway]] and makes a sharp bend to the south-southeast as it curves around [[Griffith Park]]. It receives from the left [[Verdugo Wash]], which drains much of [[La Cañada Flintridge]] and [[Glendale, California|Glendale]] as it flows from the San Gabriel Mountains south through a [[water gap]] in the [[Verdugo Mountains]], and crosses under the Ventura Freeway. Here, the river begins to flow over a natural riverbed, but enters another concrete section soon after. Paralleling the Golden State Freeway for the next few miles, the river runs by the eastern side of Griffith Park and the Harding-Wilson Golf Course. It passes [[Silver Lake Reservoir]], which is to the right, and crosses under the [[California State Route 2|Glendale (2) Freeway]], {{convert|32|mi|km}} from the mouth.<ref name=summary/><ref name="google-maps"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.urbanedpartnership.org/target/units/river/tour/vw.html|title=The Verdugo Wash Converges with the Los Angeles River|publisher=www.urbanedpartnership.org|work=Urban Education Partnership|access-date=2009-08-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070306081307/http://www.urbanedpartnership.org/target/units/river/tour/vw.html|archive-date=2007-03-06}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.urbanedpartnership.org/target/units/river/tour/lf.html|title=The Los Feliz Area of the Los Angeles River|publisher=www.urbanedpartnership.org|work=Urban Education Partnership|access-date=2009-08-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070102141317/http://www.urbanedpartnership.org/target/units/river/tour/lf.html|archive-date=2007-01-02}}</ref><ref name=fovicks4>{{cite web|url=http://seriss.com/people/erco/fovicks/lar-4.html|title=Friends Of Vast Industrial Concrete Kafkaesque Structures – Page 4|publisher=Seriss Corporation|access-date=2009-08-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090321121251/http://seriss.com/people/erco/fovicks/lar-4.html|archive-date=2009-03-21|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Dayton Avenue Bridge.jpg|thumb|right|Figueroa (Dayton Avenue) Bridge, showing the channelized river]]

Making two meanders as it flows in a southeasterly direction, the river parallels the interstate and [[Riverside Drive (Los Angeles, California)|Riverside Drive]] then crosses under the interstate and [[California State Route 110|Arroyo Seco (110) Parkway]] as it flows east of [[Elysian Park]]. It then receives the [[Arroyo Seco (Los Angeles County)|Arroyo Seco]], another major tributary, from the left. The river flows south past the Mission Junction, a large railroad yard on the left. It enters a wider concrete channel with sloped sides, and crosses under Cesar Chavez Avenue, the [[U.S. Route 101 in California|Hollywood (101) Freeway]], and the [[Interstate 10 in California|San Bernardino (10) Freeway]] as it passes east of [[downtown Los Angeles]], flowing past the [[East Los Angeles Interchange]] of the [[U.S. Route 101 in California|Santa Ana (101) Freeway]], [[California State Route 60|Pomona (60) Freeway]], and Interstates 5 and 10 on the left. It then makes a gradual turn east and then turns southeast, flowing a few miles before it begins to parallel the [[Interstate 710|Long Beach (710) Freeway]] near [[Maywood, California|Maywood]], [[Bell, California|Bell]], [[Cudahy, California|Cudahy]], and [[Commerce, California|Commerce]], {{convert|20|mi|km}} from the mouth.<ref name=summary/><ref name="google-maps"/><ref name=fovicks4/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.urbanedpartnership.org/target/units/river/tour/as.html|title=The Arroyo Seco Converges with the Los Angeles River|publisher=www.urbanedpartnership.org|work=Urban Education Partnership|access-date=2009-08-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070307065425/http://www.urbanedpartnership.org/target/units/river/tour/as.html|archive-date=2007-03-07}}</ref>

[[File:MTA los angeles river.jpg|thumb|left|The Los Angeles River's wider channel near the mouth with the famous [[Metro Transit Assassins|MTA tag]] that appeared in 2008 and was buffed in September 2009]]

Paralleling the Long Beach Freeway south-southwest, the river then crosses under former [[California State Route 42]] and the interstate as it receives the [[Rio Hondo (California)|Rio Hondo]] from the left, {{convert|9|mi|km}} from the mouth. The Rio Hondo ("deep river") now serves as a [[distributary]] for the [[San Gabriel River (California)|San Gabriel River]] to the east via the [[Whittier Narrows Reservoir]]. The river then crosses under the [[Interstate 105 (California)|Century (105) Freeway]] and shifts slightly southwest, then flows east of [[Compton, California|Compton]] and west of [[Bellflower, California|Bellflower]]. After crossing under the [[California State Route 91|Artesia (91) Freeway]], it receives [[Compton Creek]] from the right, {{convert|2.7|mi|km}} from the mouth. After crossing under Interstate 405 for the second time, {{convert|2|mi|km}} from the mouth, it draws close to the [[Dominguez Channel]] to the west and flows due south to its outlet in [[Long Beach, California|Long Beach]], under Interstate 710, past the [[RMS Queen Mary|RMS ''Queen Mary'']], and into the [[Port of Long Beach]].<ref name=summary/><ref name="google-maps"/><ref name=fovicks4/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.urbanedpartnership.org/target/units/river/tour/rh.html|title=The Rio Hondo Converges with the Los Angeles River|publisher=www.urbanedpartnership.org|work=Urban Education Partnership|access-date=2009-08-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070307065550/http://www.urbanedpartnership.org/target/units/river/tour/rh.html|archive-date=2007-03-07}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.urbanedpartnership.org/target/units/river/tour/lb.html|title=Long Beach and the Mouth of the Los Angeles River|publisher=Urban Education Partnership|access-date=2009-08-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070307065518/http://www.urbanedpartnership.org/target/units/river/tour/lb.html|archive-date=2007-03-07}}</ref>