Grants Database

The Arroyo Seco Trout Scouts Project (ASTS) aims first to enhance and restore the natural hydrology and ecosystem functioning of the Arroyo Seco watershed, a key tributary of the Los Angeles River and secondly, to build support for watershed protection and restoration activities. In the upper mountain watershed, the stream has been choked by sediment, patches of invasives, and a series of human-created barriers that reduce stream flow and water quality and inhibit fish and wildlife passage. The urbanized twelve miles of the Arroyo Stream has been channelized and degraded by trash and polluted runoff. With this funding, ASTS will first conduct stream surveys to measure and record key habitat with the goal of improving the natural hydrology and habitat for fish, wildlife, and people. The data collected will be used to create maps which identify habitat conditions, the presence of invasive species, and fish inventories. The data will be shared with scientists at state agencies for use in evaluation and restoration projects. The assessment surveys also serve the purpose of educating volunteers about watershed processes and documenting relevant conditions to help the broader community better understand watershed health and the needs of wildlife. ASTS will also include an extensive program of educational activities directed at local communities including monthly in-person and online presentations, social media postings, workshops and programs developed with local disadvantaged communities and their organizations.