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Hansen Dam– On any given Saturday or Sunday, hundreds of riders take to the trails of the Hansen Dam, and Big and Little Tujunga Washes. Following the assault on two local riders in June, the Shadow Hill Rough Riders hosted a ride reestablishing the equestrian presence into the main Dam and Ponds areas. Valley Horse Owners followed their example in July with a poker ride. The Los Angeles Police Department Mounted unit has stepped up patrols. Phil Tabbi has been working to map out the Dam, Ponds and trails into a grid map that would make it easier for police to respond as most reports are too vague for officers to quickly locate the site of any reported incident.
The Hansen Dam has been the source of multiple controversies this Summer. The Army Corp of Engineers confessed to dumping rubble and filling in the two main ponds at a public meeting in June. The response to Mary Benson’s letter in July by Chief Paul W. Dobie of the South Pacific Division is completely inappropriate. Dobie claims no local governmental agency has come forth with any interest in developing the area for public use or wildlife, and so justified the plans to dump and fill in the lakes.
The local communities are still waiting for the Army Corp to keep it’s word to restore the Holiday Lake which disappeared first from years of neglect from sediment build up, flood damage, open mining, and now the Army Corp’s dumping.
There is no lack of local interest in seeing the Hansen Dam area restored and the Lake returned. As can be seen from miles around, the Army Corp has allowed dumping to take place for years and has only succeeded in creating animosity between residents and government. The Los Angeles and South Pacific Army Corp has completely failed to live up to the Corps' seven "Environmental Operating Principles" established by Lt. Gen. Robert Flowers, Chief of Engineers.
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