A_AT1 River_NN1 Reborn_JJ --_NN1 Tracking_VVG the_AT Lower_JJR Owens_NP1 River_NNL1 Revival_NN1 The_AT revival_NN1 of_IO the_AT 62-mile_NNU1 Lower_JJR Owens_NP1 River_NNL1 is_VBZ the_AT largest_JJT river_NN1 restoration_NN1 project_NN1 in_II the_AT history_NN1 of_IO the_AT American_JJ west_ND1 ._. 
It_PPH1 's_VHZ been_VBN a_AT1 long_JJ time_NNT1 coming_VVG for_IF residents_NN2 of_IO the_AT Eastern_JJ Sierra_NP1 ._. 
Ninety-five_MC years_NNT2 ago_RA the_AT river_NN1 vanished_VVD from_II the_AT Owens_NP1 Valley_NN1 and_CC was_VBDZ diverted_VVN to_II the_AT Los_NP1 Angeles_NP1 Aqueduct_NP1 ,_, supplying_VVG water_NN1 to_II the_AT city_NN1 of_IO Los_NP1 Angeles_NP1 ._. 
But_CCB in_II December_NPM1 2006_MC --_JJ under_II court_NN1 order_NN1 --_NN1 snowmelt_NN1 from_II the_AT Sierra_NP1 was_VBDZ redirected_VVN into_II the_AT Lower_JJR Owens_NP1 ,_, breathing_VVG life_NN1 back_RP into_II the_AT river_NN1 ._. 
Now_RT its_APPGE waters_NN2 support_VV0 schools_NN2 of_IO brown_JJ trout_NN ,_, western_JJ king_NN1 birds_NN2 perched_VVN on_II tule_NN1 reeds_NN2 and_CC majestic_JJ great_JJ blue_JJ herons_NN2 ._. 
If_CS the_AT restoration_NN1 project_NN1 is_VBZ to_TO maintain_VVI that_DD1 goal_NN1 ,_, much_RR will_VM depend_VVI on_II the_AT Los_NP1 Angeles_NP1 Department_NN1 of_IO Water_NN1 and_CC Power_NN1 (_( LADWP_NP1 )_) seeing_VVG eye-to-eye_NN1 with_IW Inyo_NP1 County_NN1 and_CC environmentalists_NN2 on_II the_AT use_NN1 of_IO the_AT river_NN1 ._. 
The_AT Sierra_NP1 Club_NP1 's_GE successful_JJ lawsuit_NN1 against_II the_AT LADWP_NP1 took_VVD 24_MC years_NNT2 to_TO attain_VVI a_AT1 verdict_NN1 ,_, eventually_RR leading_VVG to_II a_AT1 judicial_JJ order_NN1 that_CST launched_VVD the_AT 77,657-acre_FO project_NN1 as_CSA mediation_NN1 for_IF environmental_JJ damage_NN1 from_II the_AT LADWP_NN1 illegally_RR pumping_VVG groundwater_NN1 from_II a_AT1 second_MD aqueduct_NN1 located_VVN in_II the_AT Owens_NP1 Valley_NP1 south_ND1 of_IO Olancha_NP1 ,_, diverting_VVG more_DAR water_NN1 to_II Los_NP1 Angeles_NP1 ._. 
Drought_NN1 ,_, which_DDQ could_VM thwart_VVI the_AT project_NN1 and_CC divert_VVI the_AT flow_NN1 of_IO 55,000_MC cubic_JJ feet_NN2 of_IO Sierra_NP1 snowmelt_VV0 a_AT1 year_NNT1 ,_, is_VBZ also_RR an_AT1 issue_NN1 ._. 
River_NN1 ecologist_NN1 Mark_NP1 Hill_NNL1 says_VVZ it_PPH1 could_VM be_VBI 15_MC to_II 20_MC years_NNT2 before_II the_AT river_NN1 is_VBZ fully_RR restored_VVN ._. 
However_RR ,_, if_CS the_AT early_JJ returns_NN2 are_VBR any_DD indication_NN1 ,_, then_RT the_AT Lower_JJR Owens_NP1 is_VBZ on_II a_AT1 steady_JJ track_NN1 to_II recovery_NN1 ._. 
During_II that_DD1 time_NNT1 span_NN1 ,_, Hill_NP1 ,_, who_PNQS works_VVZ with_IW Ecosystem_NN1 Sciences_NN2 Foundation_NN1 in_II Idaho_NP1 ,_, will_NN1 gauge_NN1 the_AT river_NN1 's_GE vitality_NN1 ,_, including_II its_APPGE 3,500_MC acres_NNU2 of_IO wetlands_NN2 ,_, increased_JJ flows_NN2 ,_, its_APPGE water_NN1 quality_NN1 and_CC its_APPGE ever-increasing_JJ inhabitants_NN2 ._. 
Hill_NP1 has_VHZ worked_VVN on_II a_AT1 number_NN1 of_IO river_NN1 restoration_NN1 projects_NN2 around_II the_AT globe_NN1 including_II the_AT Nile_NP1 ,_, Mekong_NP1 and_CC Ganges_NP1 ,_, and_CC in_II North_ND1 America_NP1 along_II the_AT Columbia_NP1 ,_, Snake_NN1 ,_, Rogue_NN1 ,_, Yuba_NP1 and_CC American_JJ rivers_NN2 ._. 
But_CCB the_AT Lower_JJR Owens_NP1 will_VM be_VBI the_AT first_MD river_NN1 Hill_NN1 has_VHZ started_VVN from_II the_AT ground_NN1 up_RP ._. 
As_CSA Hill_NP1 ,_, his_APPGE son_NN1 Zach_NN1 --_NN1 a_AT1 keen_JJ paddler_NN1 and_CC an_AT1 environmental_JJ planner_NN1 for_IF the_AT Lower_JJR Owens_NP1 --_NN1 and_CC I_PPIS1 ease_VV0 down_RP a_AT1 five-mile_NNU1 section_NN1 of_IO the_AT Lower_JJR Owens_NP1 ,_, we_PPIS2 come_VV0 across_II many_DA2 new_JJ ,_, robust_JJ willow_NN1 trees_NN2 hugging_VVG the_AT edge_NN1 of_IO the_AT runnel_NN1 ,_, the_AT beginnings_NN2 of_IO that_DD1 much-needed_JJ riparian_JJ canopy_NN1 ._. 
For_IF decades_NNT2 ,_, dried-up_JJ sage_NN1 ,_, tumbleweeds_NN2 and_CC cow_NN1 manure_NN1 choked_VVD the_AT dusty_JJ ,_, parched_JJ river_NN1 bottom_NN1 ._. 
Now_RT with_IW the_AT Lower_JJR Owens_NP1 being_VBG flooded_VVN each_DD1 spring_NN1 and_CC transporting_VVG cottonwood_NN1 and_CC willow_NN1 seeds_NN2 ,_, Hill_NP1 and_CC other_JJ ecologists_NN2 will_VM keep_VVI an_AT1 eye_NN1 out_RP for_IF a_AT1 shady_JJ canopy_NN1 of_IO trees_NN2 hovering_VVG above_II the_AT mild_JJ current_NN1 of_IO a_AT1 new_JJ river_NN1 ._. 
The_AT replenished_JJ river_NN1 is_VBZ already_RR attracting_JJ wildlife_NN1 ._. 
Bobcats_NN2 ,_, minks_NN2 ,_, coyotes_NN2 and_CC ospreys_NN2 have_VH0 been_VBN sighted_VVN ,_, herds_NN2 of_IO elk_NN1 are_VBR in_II the_AT vicinity_NN1 ,_, a_AT1 great_JJ horned_JJ owl_NN1 gazes_VVZ back_RP from_II its_APPGE cottonwood_NN1 perch_VV0 and_CC tree_NN1 frogs_NN2 hug_VV0 the_AT thick_JJ stocks_NN2 of_IO tule_NN1 reeds_NN2 ._. 
Over_RG 400_MC bird_NN1 species_NN have_VH0 been_VBN documented_VVN in_II the_AT Owens_NP1 Valley_NP1 ,_, and_CC the_AT rejuvenated_JJ Lower_JJR Owens_NP1 will_VM become_VVI a_AT1 major_JJ stopover_NN1 for_IF a_AT1 bevy_NN1 of_IO migrating_VVG bird_NN1 species_NN ._. 
A_AT1 pair_NN of_IO Owens_NP1 Valley_NN1 suckers_NN2 --_JJ native_JJ fish_NN --_JJ swim_NN1 beneath_II our_APPGE kayaks_NN2 ._. 
Of_IO all_DB the_AT species_NN of_IO wildlife_NN1 ,_, Hill_NP1 says_VVZ the_AT fish_NN have_VH0 recovered_VVN the_AT fastest_JJT ._. 
There_EX 's_VHZ been_VBN no_AT remodeling_NN1 of_IO channels_NN2 or_CC building_NN1 up_II river_NN1 banks_NN2 lined_VVN with_IW rocks_NN2 and_CC logs_NN2 using_VVG heavy_JJ equipment_NN1 ._. 
Instead_RR ,_, implementing_VVG river_NN1 flows_VVZ at_II the_AT right_JJ time_NNT1 while_CS removing_VVG cattle_NN2 grazing_VVG and_CC other_JJ land_NN1 management_NN1 actions_NN2 have_VH0 been_VBN the_AT keys_NN2 to_II success_NN1 ._. 
CHUCK_VV0 GRAHAM_NP1 is_VBZ an_AT1 environmental_JJ writer_NN1 and_CC outdoor_JJ photographer_NN1 living_VVG in_II California_NP1 ._. 
