SUNDAY MAY 14th, 2006 / 5-7pm / on the santa clara river in valencia / COME TO SPECTATE OR PARTICIPATE
www.ourparade.org
>
on the santa clara river / valencia, california
> organized
by fritz haeg's studio at calarts
> with
participants from valencia, los angeles and beyond
> meet at the pavillion's parking lot / s.w. corner where mcbean pkwy crosses
the river
> 27095 mcbean parkway, santa clarita, california 91355
WATCH CHAN & MANN VIDEO HERE or watch their proposal video HERE
We're taking the river back for a day with a happening that is the opposite of a parade. Spectators will move along the 1.5 mile route viewing the diverse performances, spectacles, activities and projects strung along the river path. This happening will celebrate and attract attention to one of the United States 10 most endangered rivers which happens to flow through Valencia.
The Santa Clara River runs partially underground and is often only visible after it has rained. It is the only natural river system remaining in Southern California, flowing approximately 100 miles from its headwaters near Acton, California, to the Pacific Ocean.
Students from Fritz Haeg’s CalArts spring studio will be producing, curating and organizing this ephemeral community event involving artists, performers, musicians, hobbyists, enthusiasts, advocacy groups, students, individuals and organizations from Valencia, Los Angeles and beyond.
Last minute projects, performances and presentations are welcome, bring your musical instruments, animal costumes, protest signs, magic props, environmental propaganda, dance steps, bored children, balloon tricks, face paints, sidewalk chalk, ecology stories and river accoutrement.
participants as of 05.08.06...
'collective static' / Plume Dune / We will be performing a dance, an exercise in river vocabulary. / Collective Static is a random grouping of voluntary particles; in this case, a dance. / Collective Static is Katie Bachler, Madeline Baugh, Molly Rodgveller, Lake Sharp, Aubrey White & Meagan Yellott
center for tactical magic / Tactical Ice Cream Unit / TICU is a mobile distribution center for ice cream and information. With every free ice cream handed out, the sweet-toothed citizenry also receives printed information developed by local progressive groups. Thus, the TICU serves as a mobile nexus for community activities while providing frosty treats and food-for-thought.
center for biological diversity & friends of the santa clara river / Visions .'. We Will Survive / Local humans will carry images of local endangered species and as they walk they will wear fabric capes upon which will be written their visions of the recovery and survival of the species they carry. / Organized by Barbara Wampole & Teresa Savaikie. Barbara is vice chair & 1993 founding member of FSCR - Cooper Union ('70- '74) Cal Arts('72-'73) Alumni - SCV resident since 1974 - FSCR's mission is protection of the natural and cultural resources of the Santa Clara River Watershed. Teresa is a Santa Clarita Resident, all around green activist in SCV, mom of three very aware green kids. She is the Santa Clara River Alliance Coodinator and local representative for CDB.
chan & mann / Our performance for This River is Our Parade is a revival-style motivational workshop for Nature, who has been suffering from acute anxiety disorder. Assisting us in our intervention we have invited an assortment of native (and exotic) animal assistants, including Mr. Whale, Ms. Squirrel, Senorita Skunk, et al. We are also going to moderate a conflict mediation session between Pollution and Nature. / We are Chan and Mann, a performance duo composed of Audrey Chan and Elana Mann. Chan and Mann motivate, liberate and gyrate the psyche through live performance for large crowds.
rob coonrod / will be singing....
chad dilley & niko solorio / The Santa Clara Sisters present : " Virgin Cock Tailgate Party" / A site specific performance along the Santa Clara River / Featuring Chad Dilley and Niko Solorio / They are undergraduates at the California Institute of the Arts and have collaborated on many performance and video projects.
chris diaz & vivian babuts / Sleep Collaboration / We will be bringing our bed to create a live performance as part of the River Happening. / Chris and Vivian have been collaborating for almost a year now producing a number of art pieces, including the performative video works, "ProBo", "The Big Bang", "Model Perfection & Model Painter", and "Orchard Village Island" - which belongs to their Sleep Collaborations Series.
zackary drucker / A limp-wristed, gender-queer, freaky, fierce, androgynous-faggot-tranny-queen, and an artist, the performer will attempt to get in touch with nature, despite his totally unnatural self.
elisa griego / Valle Flamenco en Rio Santa Clarita / baile por tangos (flamenco dance). / 'La Sin Muerta' Elisa Griego, the 19-year old gypsy flamenca went through a pole and lives to tell stories of life and near death, rated "PG: Puro Griego".
marc
herbst, christina ulke & anselm simon herbst / will be marching
as a particular subjectivity.
The water is deep and seasonal and is occasionally invisible. We
will be doing something seasonal, phlegmatic, moody and kind of irregular- thus
out of control.
ruthanne murthy / And Time Went By / RuthAnne will be reading from the historical narrative that she wrote about the history of Santa Clarita told in the voice of the Santa Clara River. / Author: RuthAnne Murthy Illustrator: Pat Saletore / RuthAnne has been an Elementary School Teacher for 22 years.
peacecore book tour / dewayne slightweight, edie fake, kim kelly, joined with video wonder kids james tsang and math bass performing as marriage
SCOPE (Santa Clara Organization for Planning the Environment) / animal costumes & protest signs!
organized by CalArts students...
Ken Christianson
Kristen English
Dash Manley
Nikhil Murthy
Ingrid von Sydow
with graphic design by...
Jin Son
some information on the river...
Action Alert for the Santa Clara River!
THE FRIENDS OF THE SANTA CLARA RIVER: 'The Santa Clara River flows approximately 100 miles from its headwaters near Acton, California, to the Pacific Ocean, and is one of only two natural river systems remaining in Southern California. Flowing east to west through a beautiful valley formed between the Santa Susana Mountains and the Transverse Ranges, the river crosses lands with many uses and local governments. Threats to the ecological health of the river include urban development, channelization, oil spills, storm water runoff pollution, and the possible resumption of large-scale aggregate mining in the channel. The river supports many populations: the human communities which dot its banks, plus a great variety of flora and fauna. Extensive patches of high-quality riparian habitat, totaling over 4,000 acres, are present along the entire length of the river. The Santa Clara River was selected by American Rivers as one of the nation's ten most endangered rivers for 2005.'
THE SIERRA CLUB: 'The Santa Clara River, Southern California’s only remaining major wild river, provides cities with drinking water and irrigates farmland as it winds its way from the San Gabriel Mountains to the Pacific. The largest long-term threat to the health of the Santa Clara River’s ecosystem is urban development.
Newhall Ranch, a development proposed by the Lennar Corporation, would construct a new city of 60,000 to 70,000 inhabitants along an undeveloped section of the Santa Clara. This project—if completed, the largest ever in Los Angeles County—would place heavy demands on already scarce water supplies in the Santa Clarita Valley. Furthermore, Newhall Ranch would damage unique Southern California ecologies, increase highway traffic, worsen air pollution, squander badly needed open space and threaten endangered species, including the unarmored threespine stickleback, a unique freshwater fish
The Sierra Club agrees with Los Angeles County supervisor Zev Yaroslovsky that Newhall Ranch is “dumb growth with a capital D.” The Sierra Club’s Santa Clara River Greenway Campaign aims to stop the Newhall Ranch project and to urge public officials to adopt alternative conservation-minded approaches to development—approaches that value and protect Southern California’s unique environment, rather than destroy it.'
SCOPE
(SANTA CLARA ORGANIZATION FOR PLANNING THE ENVIRONMENT): 'Our Goals: Promote,
protect and preserve the environment of the Santa Clarita Valley. Work to provide
a high quality of life for residents of the Santa Clarita Valley.
Monitor, review and take action on proposals which would impact or affect the
environment.
Provide a forum for the people of the Santa Clarita Valley in which issues involving
the environment, ecology or quality of life can be heard and discussed. Foster
the education of the members and the people of the Santa Clarita Valley on matters
involving environment, ecology and quality of life. Promote community planning
and design which exhibits superior attention to quality, aesthetics, sensitivity
to the environment and consideration of community goals and needs.'
AMERICAN RIVERS: 'Until recent years, the Santa Clara River has largely escaped the intense development transforming most of Southern California, but developers are now eyeing the river and adjacent lands for a massive expanse of new condominiums and shopping centers. Unless regulators hold new development to high standards, Southern California will lose its last significant natural river.'
LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS: 'The Santa Clara River is the largest river system in southern California that remains in a relatively natural state. The river originates in the northern slopes of the San Gabriel Mountains in north Los Angeles County, traverses in a westerly direction into Ventura County, and discharges into the Pacific Ocean near the City of Ventura. The river runs approximately 100 miles from its headwaters near Acton, California, to its outlet, and drains an area of approximately 1,600 square miles.
For ease of reference, the portion of the river within Los Angeles County is generally referred to as Upper Santa Clara River, and the portion within Ventura County is generally referred to as Lower Santa Clara River. The Upper Santa Clara River watershed consists of approximately 680 square miles of mostly natural land with some mixed use developed areas. Much of the development concentrates in or near the City of Santa Clarita, the lone incorporated city in the Upper Santa Clara River watershed.'
SOMEWHERE OUT THERE: 'The Santa Clara is a big river. From its headwaters near Acton, it flows west almost 100 miles to the Pacific Ocean south of Ventura. Unlike its neighbors to the south, the Santa Clara has not been channelized and bound in concrete; it is considered to be one of only two "natural river systems" remaining in Southern California. The Santa Clara is an excellent recreational resource during the winter months, as well as an important habitat for waterfowl and other riparian creatures year-round....Walking the beach after winter storms, I'd always been puzzled at the sight of numerous oranges. Where did they come from? While floating the Santa Clara, the answer became clear. Hundreds if not thousands of oranges, and the odd grapefruit and lemon, bobbed down the river with us. Flushed into the river from the adjoining orchards, they made for a colorful sight against the Santa Clara's chocolate brown water.'
THE RIVER PROJECT: 'The river supports many populations: the human communities that dot its banks, plus a great variety of flora and fauna. Extensive patches of high-quality riparian habitat, totalling over 4,000 acres, are present along the entire length of the river. The biological resources of the Santa Clara River are impressive. Downstream from Santa Clarita there are still very extensive riparian woodlands of willow and cottonwood, changing to riparian scrub in Ventura County. The river contains at least six recognized natural communities, many of which are very rare - Southern Coastal Salt Marsh, Subtidal estuarine, Southern Riparian Scrub, Cottonwood-Willow Riparian Woodland, Alluvial Fan Sage Scrub and Riverine. The riparian forest is home for a host of bird species, including the endangered least Bell's vireo. The unarmored threespine stickleback, a small endangered fish, inhabits the river's upper reaches. The estuary supports the western snowy plover, least tern and tidewater goby, all federally listed as endangered. Overall, 14 resident bird species are listed as endangered or of special concern, and 6 plant species are endangered or candidates for listing.'
OSPR
(OFFICE OF SPILL PROTECTION AND RESPONSE): 'LOCATION: Santa Clara River
in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties / DATE January 17, 1994 / INCIDENT SUMMARY
A pipeline break during the Northridge Earthquake resulted in the spill of over
190,000 gallons of crude oil. Oil entered the Santa Clara River near Interstate
5 and continued 16 miles downstream. / RESPONSIBLE PARTY Atlantic Richfield
Company (ARCO) / NATURAL RESOURCE TRUSTEES California Dept. of Fish and Game;
United States Fish and Wildlife Service / RESOURCES IMPACTED fish (including
the Unarmoured Threespine Stickleback); riparian vegetation (approximately 100
acres destroyed); birds, mammals, and other riparian and aquatic animals / SETTLEMENT
DETAILS The trustees settled the NRDA portion of the case for $7.1 million.'
Wikipedia: 'The Santa Clara River is approximately 116 mi (186 km) long, in southern California in the United States. It drains an area of the coastal mountains north of Los Angeles. The Santa Clara is the largest river system along the coast of Southern California and only one of two remaining river systems in the region that remain in their natural states and not channelized by concrete.
Its headwaters are near the town of Acton in Los Angeles County, on the north slope of the San Gabriel Mountains. It flows along the north side of the Santa Susana Mountains and empties into the Pacific Ocean between the cities of Ventura and Oxnard, in the area designated by the state as the Santa Clara River Estuary Natural Reserve.
The river has a watershed of approximately 1,600 square miles containing 57 archeological sites and 12 historical landmarks. Sespe Creek, one of its tributaries, is the only stream in the Southern California designated as a California Wild and Scenic River.
The surrounding riparian natural area is of interest to conservancy organizations because it is habitat for the threatened species such as the unarmored three-spined stickleback, southern steelhead, southwestern pond turtle, and least Bell's vireo.'
LINKS:
THE FRIENDS OF THE SANTA CLARA RIVER
SCOPE (SANTA CLARA ORGANIZATION FOR PLANNING THE ENVIRONMENT)
LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
OSPR (OFFICE OF SPILL PROTECTION AND RESPONSE)
WIKIPEDIA ON THE SANTA CLARA RIVER
THE CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY