Beauty of the L.A. River

Re “The flow of ideas,” editorial, Oct. 2

My San Fernando Valley neighborhood and others throughout Los Angeles County would flood during heavy rains before the construction of the existing flood control system -- with the concrete-lined L.A. River as its foundation. Now The Times appears to want a “restored river, concrete stripped from its base, willows lining its banks.” Such a free-of-concrete “restored river” would compromise the entire flood control system. The Times perceives the river in its current state as “one of the world’s ugliest concrete-lined flood channels.” To me it is not ugly; it is an essential component of L.A.’s infrastructure. Neighborhoods throughout L.A. looking like New Orleans after its levees failed -- that would be ugly.

GENE POMERANTZ

Tarzana