Winter Rains Bring Attention to Los Angeles River

 

It’s time for spring-cleaning in Los Angeles.

Usually that term relates to housekeeping: throwing away unwanted items, organizing closets, and washing places that have become dirty over the winter.

But in this case, we are talking about the massive¹ project of cleaning up the Los Angeles River in Southern California.

The river runs about 80 kilometers and passes through 14 cities. It ends at the Pacific Ocean in Long Beach.

Usually the riverbed has very little water. But not now. California received record-breaking rainfall over the winter. As a result, the river is full again.

All the water has brought plants, animals, and trash. Lots of trash. Plastic bags, paper cups and even old pieces of furniture found their way into the river.

In addition, water wiped out camps on the riverbank where homeless people were living.

Now volunteers are working to clean up the mess.

Volunteers

Lauren Scott works² for the American Chemistry Council³. It is a business group. Many of the group’s members are companies that produce plastic items for people to use. Some of those items wound up in the river.

Along with picking up trash, Scott is trying to figure out what her organization can do to prevent trash from getting into the waterway.

“Because everyone wants a clean river that we can swim and boat and hike in.”

Candace Cable⁴ was out cleaning up the river, picking up trash from her wheelchair. She is a Paralympic Athlete. She is part of a group working to get the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games to Los Angeles.

She hopes supporters of Los Angeles’ efforts to get the Olympics will help clean up the river, too.

Christine Lee is a science applications engineer at NASA’s Jet⁵ Propulsion Laboratory⁶ in Pasadena, not too far from Los Angeles. She uses satellites to study water quality. She said waterways in cities are important for keeping plants, animals and people healthy.

For example, the Los Angeles River helps control floods and keeps wetlands healthy. Wetlands are home to many important plants and animals.

Some people feel like the annual cleanup is already making a difference. Residents⁷ are using walking and biking paths along the river more frequently than they used to.

Lois Keller, another cleanup volunteer, said:

“It’s been really exciting to start to see the river come back.”

Words in This Story

massive – adj. very large and heavy

wipe out – v. to destroy or cause great harm to something

council – n. a group of people who provide advice or guidance on something

propulsion – n. the force that moves something forward : the force that propels something

1 massive   

adj.巨大的，大规模的，大量的，大范围的

参考例句：

• A massive sea search has failed to find any survivors.经过大规模的海上搜救仍未找到幸存者。
• He drank a massive amount of alcohol.他喝了大量的烈酒。

2 works   

n.作品，著作；工厂，活动部件，机件

参考例句：

• We expect writers to produce more and better works.我们期望作家们写出更多更好的作品。
• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。

3 council   

n.理事会，委员会，议事机构

参考例句：

• The town council passed a law forbidding the distribution of handbills.市议会通过法律，禁止散发传单。
• The city council has declared for improving the public bus system.市议会宣布同意改进公共汽车系统。

4 cable   

n.缆绳，索；电缆；电报；vt.电汇，打电报

参考例句：

• Don't forget to cable us as soon as you arrive.别忘了一到就给我发个电报。
• The worker attached a cable.工人连接电缆。

5 jet   

n.喷气发动机，喷气式飞机；v.喷出，喷射

参考例句：

• Put a match to the jet to light the gas.将火柴放在煤气喷嘴上点燃煤气。
• I don't see the jet of your plan.我不明白你的计划的要点。

6 laboratory   

n.实验室，化验室

参考例句：

• She has donated money to establish a laboratory.她捐款成立了一个实验室。
• Our laboratory equipment isn't perfect,but we must make do.实验室设备是不够理想，但我们只好因陋就简。

7 residents   

n.居民( resident的名词复数 )；（旅馆的）住宿者

参考例句：

• Plans to build a new mall were deep-sixed after protests from local residents. 修建新室内购物中心的计划由于当地居民反对而搁浅。
• Local residents have reacted angrily to the news. 当地居民对这一消息表示愤怒。