Southern Sierran
HELP SAVE L.A. COUNTY'S LAST WILD RIVER

BY LYNNE PLAMBECK

Under the threat once more: the Santa Clara River PHOTO BY LYNNE PLAMBECK

In 2005, the American Rivers designated our own Santa Clara River in Northern LA County as one of the nation's ten most endangered rivers. Now, years later, the biggest threat of all to its protection is once again looming before us. Newhall Land and Farming is preceding with its plans to obtain an Army Corp permit and State Fish and Game streambed alteration agreement, in spite of being in bankruptcy. These permits will allow banking, bridges and alterations needed to build the Newhall Ranch project in this sensitive flood plain area of the Santa Clara River.

As many of you who have been on our bus tours know, this area of the Santa Clara is very beautiful and wild. It is home to several endangered and threatened species that are not found any where else in the world, including the three-spined unarmored stickleback fish and the San Fernando Valley Spine Flower, as well as birds, pond turtles, frogs, toads, and other critters such as mountain lions, bears and coyotes. It encompasses wildlife corridors that allow large animals to get to water and a rare valley oak woodland.

Granted in 1998, Newhall Land's last large river permit allowing projects along 15 miles of the Santa Clara River in the City of Santa Clarita area, has not worked. Many of the endangered species that it was supposed to protect have completely disappeared from the area, and some of the required mitigation measures have still not been completed.

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