‘Temperance Flat is a boondoogle’

I was driving over the San Joaquin River on Highway 41, noticing water flowing where it hadn’t flowed in a long time. I was glad, as we need this water to flow and not be captured by an additional dam. There were so many wells gone dry by the excessive planting of permanent crops, this is what is needed to refresh the water table.

We can’t approve building of a dam that would cause more damage to our drinking water and needs of people.

I also realized the benefit of washing out the river bed like Mother Nature intended. Recently a local club had to gather to physically chop out growth from the river that had blocked it off. This increase of flows uprooted the invasive plants, and was pushing out the silt that had gathered. It will help all wildlife. I just read Walt Shubin’s op-ed in the Jan. 9 Bee and agree that we need to save our river.

Water flowing down the San Joaquin is not wasted. The Temperance Flat Dam proposal is a boondoggle that only during a few years will save water. I don’t want to finance this in dollars or in the environment for my children and grandchildren.

This story was originally published January 14, 2017 at 11:46 AM with the headline "‘Temperance Flat is a boondoogle’."