Chalk one up for the rivers.

[Gloria]

Just finished reading an article at Mother Earth News that sent me looking for more information. Hope you enjoy the excerpt and other links as much as I did.

A Force For Nature;The Story of NRDC And The Fight To Save Our Planet by John H. Adams

Chapter 20 "The Rule Of Law"
San Joaquin River

Saving the San Joaquin River - Nature and Community - MOTHER EARTH NEWS

Saving the San Joaquin River
California’s San Joaquin River ran dry for most of the 20th century until, in 1988, the Natural Resources Defense Council stepped in and led a two-decade struggle to restore the river’s rich ecosystem.

The second longest river in California. Yet by the late 20th century, Californian's were barely aware of the San Joaquin, for it no longer existed as a real river in any meaningful sense.

Below the Friant Dam, more than 60 miles of the river ran bone-dry in all but the wettest years. Flows that did emerge farther downstream were often heavily polluted by agricultural runoff and municipal sewage outflows

On March 30, 2009, after two more years of tweaking the legislative details of the settlement in Congress, President Obama signed the San Joaquin River Restoration Act into law.
Six months later, on Oct. 1, engineers opened the gates at the Friant Dam, and for the first time in more than 60 years, water flowed down the dried-up channel of the San Joaquin — a small, symbolic step toward the restoration of one of America’s great rivers.
Read more: Saving the San Joaquin River - Nature and Community - MOTHER EARTH NEWS

For more information...

Group reminds McClintock: Delta farmers are excluded from water discussions : Indybay
News
by Dan Bacher
Tuesday Apr 12th, 2011 8:21 AM

http://restorethedelta.org/


San Joaquin River Conservancy - Home

San Joaquin River Restoration Program
The first water releases from Friant Dam in support of the SJRRP, called Interim Flows, began October 1, 2009.
Interim Flow releases began October 1, 2010, for Water Year 2011. Visit the Interim Flows and Flow Monitoring pages for more information.

Photos...
San Joaquin River Restoration Program