The collection contains research regarding Blake Gumprecht's book The Los Angeles River: Its Life, Death, and Possible Rebirth. Materials include correspondence, photographs, audio tapes, VHS tapes, and maps. The collection consists of research material dating from the early twentieth century to the early twenty-first century regarding the Los Angeles River and Aqueduct that was utilized by Gumprecht for his book.

The collection consists of correspondence and reports pertaining to Los Angeles Harbor, San Pedro Harbor, Long Beach Harbor, Los Angeles River, Newport Bay, San Diego Harbor, Santa Monica breakwater, and the Point Fermin landslide (1929). Also included are materials on tides and boundaries.