STRUGGLES AND TRIUMPHS FROM AROUND THE WORLD |
A bold effort is now underway to renew the San Joaquin River- one of California's
longest and most abundant waterways. Like so many rivers along the Pacific Coast,
the San Joaquin has been badly damaged by decades of pollution, overdevelopment,
and water diversion for agriculture. Once an ideal spawning ground for salmon,
the river was decimated after construcion of the Friant Dam in 1942. Since
then, no salmon has made the journey upriver to reproduce. |
A landmark new bill, approved by Congress in March 2009 and expected to be signed
by President Obama, will drastically reduce the amount of water diverted for farmland
and increase the flow through the San Joaquin. In addition, lands once
used for gravel quarry and other industries will be restored to natural habitat.
There is great hope that these actions will rejuvenate the river to a thriving
ecosystem for Salmon and other wildlife. |
