Politics & Government

Updated: Construction Work Going on in the Arroyo Seco Stream Bed

The work appears to be being done by Pasadena Water and Power.

City of Pasadena crews appear to be carrying on some sort of construction work in the Arroyo Seco stream bed in an area above JPL.

The work was captured in photos from last Friday that were distributed by local trail advocate Paul Ayers.  In the photos, a bulldozer appears to be doing some sort of grading work.

Ayers said the photos were taken about three-quarters of a mile above a bridge on JPL land in a popular hiking and biking trail area, parts of which have been closed because of the Station Fire.

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This is the second incident in the last week where local advocates have discovered scheduled work projects in stream beds where they've expressed concerns about local wildlife. Last week, the Forest Service canceled a scheduled work date to

Update 3:40 p.m: Pasadena spokeswoman Ann Erdman confirms the work is a PWP project.

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The work is being done on a spreading basin the city constructed in the area, which basically acts as a pond that collects rainwater from the stream bed and returns it to the water table rather than letting it flow out to sea through the stream bed.

Because of the recent heavy storm and other storms this winter that have taken place in Station Fire burn areas, debris coming down through the stream bed chokes up the pond and restricts water from flowing into it, Erdman said.

Crews are working to remove the sediment in the blockage areas and distribute it evenly in the stream bed.

The city has had to do the construction work several times this winter as a result of heavy storms, Erdman said.

She added that crews are also doing trail building work in the area where debris has wrecked trails used by hikers and bikers.

Erdman said that PWP officials would update the public on the process Tuesday night at the Hahamongna Watershed Advisory Committee meeting at 6 p.m.  The meeting is held at the Flintridge Retreat Center, Room 117, at 236 W. Mountain Street. 


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