The Brief

William Mullholland is often hailed as the man who brought water to Los Angeles, but there’s an earlier group Angelenos owe flowers to: The original founders of L.A., and the Zanja Madre.

The system of zanjas — Spanish for trench or ditch — was the city’s first irrigation network that brought water from the L.A. River to people’s homes and fields.

How the ditches began

For the 44 pobladores who came from New Spain (modern Mexico) to settle in today’s downtown, every drop of water was liquid gold. Having quick access to water helped sustain life and raised crops for food.

When the pueblo of Los Angeles was founded in 1781, the town was purposely located near the L.A. River. One of the first things community members built in June of that year was a water system. They joined together to carve out the first sections of a crude dirt pipeline delivering L.A. River water, the Zanja Madre (Mother Ditch), about seven weeks after settling.

They finished it in October 1781, but once the United States seized power, more zanjas were dug out. That led to the earliest industrial use of the Zanja Madre by Eagle Flour Mills in 1855, according to archeologist Marc Beherec, and more heavy use followed.

Map showing the route of the Zanja Madre irrigation system in 1888.

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Security Pacific National Bank Collection

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Los Angeles Public Library

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But the zanja system was delicate. The dam intake had to be repaired after rain and the ditches had to be cleaned up often for the water to reach each customer.

The Zanjero, or “water overseer,” was responsible for maintaining the system alongside a group of deputies. The position got paid better than the mayor, signifying the price tag and commodification of water.

They ensured ditches worked properly, but there was another element that made the job a big deal — they wore police badges and had the authority to arrest anyone using the water without a permit.

The city created a zanja department, but the day-to-day was still rough. At one point, zanjeros missed a day of work because all the shovels broke. Then, floods in 1884 washed out the dirt ditches and made officials go back to the drawing board. The result, costing $125,000, was to turn some of the zanjas into closed brick conduits and improve others with concrete.

The zanjas reached their prime that decade, with an estimated 6,897 acres irrigated in city limits, including vineyards and citrus farms.

By 1902, the zanja system was made up of four separate areas connecting back to the L.A. River. At its height, L.A. had 52 miles of zanja.

An undated look at the interior of the Zanja Madre, which was uncovered during the wrecking of the first Department of Water and Power building.

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Historical Photo Collection of the LADWP

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Los Angeles Public Library

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Why the zanjas died off

There were public-use and safety concerns.

That’s because the zanja network was a bit haphazard. Some of it was still above ground or not upgraded with cement. For example, in 1898 an association petitioned the City Council to lay pipes down on Naomi Avenue in a bid to get a “very dangerous” open zanja closed off.

In 1901, a 7-year-old boy with epilepsy fell onto an open zanja on Date Street and died.

People would bathe in these zanjas, which at some points could be 12 feet wide. Residents would go for a summer swim, dump trash, and even wash their clothes in the water they’d drink and irrigate from.

A group of people wash clothes in the Zanja Madre, circa 1900.

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Security Pacific National Bank Collection/Los Angeles Public Library

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But it was William Mulholland who may have sealed the zanjas’ fate.

As superintendent of the L.A. Water Department, he wrote in a 1903 report to the board of water commissioners that “the zanja system has made its usual poor showing for the year,” making sure to show how the upkeep expenses were outpacing income.

Then, after a rainless summer, Mulholland allocated the water to the domestic drinking supply only — stripping farmers of the much needed resource — to start shutting it down.

May 1904 was the last month the city zanja department sold water. The ditches were abandoned, but portions were repurposed for a stormwater system.

Where they’ve been found today

The Thomas Douglas Stimson house at 2421 South Figueroa Street near Adams Street, Los Angeles. It was built in Romanesque revival style in 1891. Next o it, is an open zanja.

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Security Pacific National Bank Collection/Los Angeles Public Library

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After more than 240 years, the zanja system has been covered up, destroyed, and forgotten.

But every so often, parts of it come to light.

Eighteen archaeological encounters with the system have been documented as of 2022, though there have likely been more times people have come across the pipes.

But officially, crews have found it during things like Metro line work, street widenings, and building construction.

You can run into the zanja system, too. Olvera Street has a brick path extending from the fountain that represents the route of the Zanja Madre, and the Stimson House on Figueroa Street still has the above ground barriers up.

More than 600,000 Californians are at risk of losing CalFresh food benefits after expanded work requirements imposed by the federal government go into effect next month, state and county officials warned Wednesday.

The “One Big Beautiful Bill,” signed into law by President Donald Trump last summer, included “multiple significant changes to CalFresh,” the state’s version of SNAP that serves about 5.4 million people, according to the Legislative Analyst’s Office.

They include requirements that some adults work, volunteer or participate in a school or job-training program for 20 hours a week.

People who don’t meet the expanded work requirements will be restricted to three months of CalFresh benefits every three years, according to the state Department of Social Services. CalFresh benefits can be used to buy almost any food, as well as seeds or plants that can grow food.

The new federal rules will now affect people experiencing homelessness, veterans and former foster youth, unless they are excused for other reasons.

About 260,000 people in L.A. County are at risk of losing CalFresh benefits under the new requirements, according to Hilda Solis, chair of the L.A. County Board of Supervisors.

“These expanded work requirements are going to create more barriers for people who are already struggling to meet ends,” she said at a briefing Wednesday. "It's not about creating opportunity, it's about making it harder for people to keep the benefits that they already qualify for.”

About 108,000 people in L.A. County have already lost their CalFresh benefits since the bill was passed last July, which Solis said is putting more pressure on local food banks and community-based organizations that are already operating at capacity to meet residents’ needs.

What are the changes to CalFresh?

Three main changes to CalFresh are planned for this year: expanded work requirements, disqualification of some people without U.S. citizenship and a new funding model that will pull more money from state and local sources instead of the federal government.

The work-requirement changes go into effect in June and are expected to affect about 665,000 Californians, according to the Legislative Analyst’s Office. The rules will be expanded to include people up to age 64. Previously, it applied to those up to 54 years old, according to officials.

There are some exemptions, including people who would be unable to meet the necessary hours because of a physical or mental illness and those caring for children under 14 years old.

Back in April, eligibility guidelines changed for certain Californians without U.S. citizenship. They disqualified some groups from being eligible for CalFresh, including refugees and victims of trafficking, according to the Legislative Analyst’s Office.

An estimated 72,000 people were expected to lose benefits because of limited eligibility.

In October, the way CalFresh is funded is expected to change, shifting more costs to states and counties. California could face roughly $480 million in new annual costs and $190 million for counties, according to the Legislative Analyst’s Office.

How could it affect LA County?

The roughly 260,000 Angelenos likely to be affected by the expanded work requirements may not lose their benefits immediately. People will be evaluated on the new rules when they apply or recertify to keep their CalFresh benefits, according to Jackie Contreras, director of the county’s Department of Public Social Services.

Contreras said people don’t need to take action today, and the department will notify Angelenos directly before any changes affect their case. She encouraged residents to keep their contact information up to date, carefully review all notices and contact the department for questions or assistance.

The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank is preparing to see people lose their benefits in the fall as recertifications roll in, according to CEO Michael Flood. The organization has been shoring up the supply through private donations from farmers and manufacturers, as well as purchasing food with funding from the county.

L.A. County committed $12 million to the Food Bank during the federal government shutdown last fall, which translated into about six million pounds of food, or roughly 5.5 million meals.

Flood said the organization was able to stretch those resources into this year, distributing some of the purchased food now and in the coming months to help offset the loss of CalFresh benefits. But the L.A. Regional Food Bank is already seeing an increased demand for food assistance, which he said has been driven primarily by higher prices and inflation.

“We all see it … shopping in a grocery store, those who, you know, need to fill up the gas tank to get to work,” Flood said. “That is something that's coming through loud and clear and really is causing ... challenges for people's budgets here locally.”

During a recent distribution in Baldwin Park, for example, food provided for about 2,000 households ran out half-an-hour before the event was slated to end, Flood said. He added that it’s likely the surge in demand will continue through the end of this year and into the next, and that the L.A. Regional Food Bank is “doing everything we can to try to increase resources.”

On the state level, $20 million has been deployed to help counties prepare for the expanded work requirements, according to Assemblymember Alex Lee, chair of the Assembly Human Services Committee.

Lee co-authored a bill that aims to exempt former foster youth from the expanded work requirements. The bill is pending in the state Legislature.

At least seven wildfires burning around Southern California are sending smoke across the region. The South Coast Air Quality Management District has extended a smoke advisory warning of unhealthy air through 10 p.m. Thursday.

What does a smoke advisory mean?

Local health officials send out warnings when the air quality is unhealthy. The advisories encourage people to avoid outdoor activities and take other steps to limit contact with smoky air.

Where are the wildfires?

Wildfires are burning in Ventura, San Diego, Riverside, Santa Barbara and L.A. counties. You can keep tabs on the fires on the CalFire website.

How bad is the air?

Wildfire smoke is generally worse for your health than the kind of “garden variety urban pollution” Angelenos are used to, said Suzanne Paulson, an atmospheric chemist at UCLA. But air quality depends on where you live, and might change from hour to hour. The good news is that low-cost air quality sensors have made it easier to find out just how bad the air is in your neck of the woods. You can check PurpleAir, Clarity, and IQAir for real-time data on pollution levels, often down to the neighborhood level.

How to avoid breathing bad air

Staying indoors in the best way to avoid bad air pollution, Paulson said. You can also try to avoid the worst areas. “So for example, I ride my bike to work. I regularly look at the map and see if the air quality is OK, and sometimes I even change my route,” Paulson said.

The city of Santa Ana is just $85 short of closing what started as a $13 million budget deficit. On the chopping block: after-school programming, park maintenance and more.

The city manager’s office presented another round of cuts to balance the budget at yesterday’s City Council meeting. Officials reported that the current proposal avoids layoffs and furloughs. Most of the cuts will come from the Public Works Department at more than $3 million.

Santa Ana's current budget proposal includes an estimated $85 deficit for the upcoming fiscal year.

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Courtesy of the city of Santa Ana

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More on what’s being cut 

The Police Department is seeing a proposed $2 million in cuts, but could still be allocated $4 million more than last year, according to the budget draft.

The city is looking to cut 20 vacant full-time positions and reduce part-time spending.

Five non-mandated commissions will also be dissolved, including the youth, parks and recreation, and arts and culture commissions. The move will save the city nearly $28,000.

Ambulance services will be cut down from a 24-hour unit to a 12-hour unit, saving $250,000, and fees will increase.

How did we get here? 

At a City Council meeting earlier this month, officials reported that the city’s revenue increased by 3% compared to last year, but spending is up 6%, with hikes in labor and pension/liability costs.

What’s the deal with youth programming? 

The Santa Ana Police Athletic and Activity League, also known as PAAL, costs the city more than $877,000, about 80% of which goes toward salaries for its current fiscal budget.

PAAL costs the city about $5,400 per child, compared to youth programs run by the Parks and Recreation Department, which cost about $100 per kid.

PAAL’s after-school and summer programs serve 87 children, and more than 200 are mentored and coached through its sports programming. The program’s budget will be slashed by about half.

Councilmember Johnathan Ryan Hernandez said this move should not be seen as a cut to youth services.

“Through this new proposed recommendation, we’ll reinstate exercise instruction at four different elementary schools, and we will increase the services from 228 children to 2,200 children,” Hernandez said. “We are not cutting youth services, we're actually adding youth services while saving money for our city.”

Mayor Valerie Amezcua said the library and parks departments can do the same programs, but not the way PAAL does.

“I just want to make sure whatever cuts we're making, that we continue to include our Police Department. To me, that's very important for the public trust,” Amezcua said.

What’s next? 

The city isn’t completely in the clear when it comes to its finances. Measure X, a voter-approved sales tax, will be reduced in 2029, resulting in the loss of at least $30 million in annual revenue before completely expiring in 2039. The City Council, aside from Councilmembers David Penaloza and Jessie Lopez, has supported asking voters if the tax should be made permanent.

A public hearing to review the drafted budget will be held on June 2. Details will be posted on the city’s website.