Significant flood events that occurred before the flood of 1938.
Man tries to cross LA River after devastating flood.
Before the flood of 1938 and the channelization of the river, Los Angeles flooded frequently. From 1850-1900, enormous floods occurred every four and a half years for a total of eleven times in Los Angeles, occasionally shifting the course of the river. The “La Estrella” newspaper was the first publication to document flooding during this time period. The LA City Water Company developed strategies to use the river in other ways, such as pumping water out of the river to fields during dry weather or harvesting water before it could reach the surface (except in the Glendale Narrows, where water continued to be tapped above ground.)
Before the flood of 1938 and the channelization of the river, Los Angeles flooded frequently. From 1850-1900, enormous floods occurred every four and a half years for a total of eleven times in Los Angeles, occasionally shifting the course of the river. The “La Estrella” newspaper was the first publication to document flooding during this time period. The LA City Water Company developed strategies to use the river in other ways, such as pumping water out of the river to fields during dry weather or harvesting water before it could reach the surface (except in the Glendale Narrows, where water continued to be tapped above ground.)
El Monte Bridge collapses after a San Gabriel River flood, causing much destruction around the area.