I work in an office that I share with 3 other people, we're fortunate to have a couple windows that look out over this river. The water level is generally what you see in the picture but occasionally winter storms will make it rise quite a bit.
This area has become a state park and wildlife refuge, there are cormorants, assorted ducks and geese, falcons, red tailed hawks, snowy egrets, swallows (seasonal visitors) and our office mascot, Ed, the great blue heron.
There are also the usual lizards, snakes, mice, rats, skunks, opossums, the odd raccoon and coyotes. The river has carp, catfish, and striped bass, there is talk that the Fish and Game Dept. is going to stock the river with steelhead. There are a lot of people who fish in the river, even a retired couple who wade in and go fly fishing.
Amazingly the water and fish are tested by the EPA and other state and county agencies, according to them the water is safe and the fish are fit to eat. I say amazingly because this is the Los Angeles River, about 1 mile east of Dodger Stadium and 1 - 1 1/2 miles north of the civic center.