OC River Walk is a vision to transform the Santa Ana River Corridor into a primary connective open space uniting the Southern California region. The goal of the OC River Walk project is to transform the Santa Ana River into an iconic regional destination for recreation and entertainment.
In 2021, the City of Anaheim (City) development of a Feasibility Study for the two‐mile stretch from Ball Road to Orangewood Avenue, which identifies 17 unique opportunities to transform the Santa Ana River Corridor into a robust location and experience and create multiple benefits that will promote community, connectivity, recreation, and nature.
The City recently received a $5 million grant from the State Coastal Conservancy to plan and design key elements of the Feasibility Study with the community: (1) a new trail extension and connection from Katella Blvd. to Anaheim Coves, (2) pedestrian and bicycle bridge across the river to improve safety, (3) two inflatable dams, (4) riverbank modifications, and (5) art and education. Environmental analysis will also be developed for these project elements as part of the current planning effort.
We hope that the community will join us in providing input on these 5 key design components so we can make the river a place to connect, recreate, and gather with each other!
Public Input Map
Major Elements
Once complete, OC River Walk will re-establish the river corridor as a place of interconnectivity between people, the river, local businesses, and nearby iconic destinations. The integration between public and flood control facilities will be mutually beneficial, maximizing what the river corridor has to offer to the community.
The project consists of five major elements:
River Recharge
Inflatable dams in the river to collect water will bring back the meaning of Anaheim, creating two beautiful waterfronts along the OC River Walk trail adjacent to Angel Stadium, the ARTIC, and the Honda Center while also recharging the underlying aquifer.
Pedestrian/Bicycle Bridge
A new bridge crossing will connect both sides of the river trail, specifically for pedestrians and cyclists in hopes of creating a safe and recreational experience crossing the Santa Ana River.
Trail Extensions & Expansion
OC River Walk will connect gaps between segments of the paved Santa Ana River Trail, providing full circulation throughout this stretch of the river corridor and connecting to the Anaheim Coves trail. Areas with small constricting pathways will be expanded, allowing trail users room to share plenty of space between pedestrian traffic and commuter bikes.
Riverbank Modifications
OC River Walk sees the river embankments as an opportunity to upgrade the design that is both robust as a flood control facility and as an amenity space. The embankment can both protect the community from flooding and safely bring people closer to the waterfront.
Art & Education
The history of the City of Anaheim and the Santa Ana River is rich with historical origins and generational stories. OC River Walk will incorporate art elements and educational moments throughout the project site. The area itself provides a new canvas space for the community to tell their stories on the public stage.
Survey
Events
Upcoming
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Past
Outreach at the Anaheim Tree Lighting Festival & Holiday Village
December 3, 2022
Outreach at West Anaheim Youth Center
March 18, 2023
Community Workshop #2
March 29, 2023: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Honda Center, 2695 E Katella Ave, Anaheim, CA 92806
FAQ
How are you going to get the water in the river?
Inflatable dams will be constructed within the Santa Ana River that will allow the storage of water during dry periods of the year and then deflate during storm events to maintain flow capacity of the river. The City of Anaheim is working in partnership with Orange County Water District (OCWD) to provide a source of water for storage in the river during dry periods. In the winter months, water will come from releases of water stored upstream at Prado Dam, which is controlled by OCWD operations staff. During the summer months, water will come from OCWD’s world-renowned Ground Water Replenishment System (GWRS). This GWRS water is highly purified recycled water that OCWD uses to replenish the underlying groundwater basin. The water in the river will not only provide a waterfront for OC River Walk, but will also have the added benefit of recharging the local groundwater basin.
Partners
· City of Anaheim
· City of Orange
· Orange County Water District
· California Coastal Conservancy
Documents
Download the following documents to learn more about this project:
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Contact Us:
Call: 714-395-5498
Email: [email protected]