NO Del Puerto Canyon Reservoir
Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors, Del Puerto Water District
The Del Puerto Water District and the Water Exchange are planning a massive reservoir just above the city of Patterson, home to 25K. The community is realistic, but very concerned. The reservoir would be less than five miles from a fault, and within landslide soil. If the dam were to fail Patterson would be flooded up to ten feet all the way to the San Joaquin River, raising it 14 feet. This would undoubtedly harm our children, schools, and elderly.
Many of Patterson's homes would now fall under hazardous inundation zones, needing to indicate that when selling a property. For homeowners to protect their property in case of a dam failure it could cost up to one thousand dollars annually.
The West Side is located in the region of the worst air quality in the nation. This project will add tons of debris and our disadvantaged community will be put at even greater risk. This area is known for the kit fox, an endangered species, home to Yokut Indian artifacts, and where California's first paleontological finds were discovered. It is a cherished respite.
Concerned citizens are not anti dam, but are open to the alternate location ten miles north that would not negatively impact the community at the Howard Road Exit.
Petition by
To:
Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors, Del Puerto Water District
From:
[Your Name]
Greetings Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors and Water Partners,
Despite not sending the community information in the mail, holding January's public meeting during working hours, and doing the bare minimum, we have learned of the massive reservoir that is being planned and have read the Environmental Impact report and are adamantly against this project at this location.
The reservoir would hover just to the west of Patterson, home to twenty-five thousand people. It would be near a fault, and built on landslide soil. If the dam were to fail, Patterson would be flooded up to ten feet all the way to the San Joaquin River, raising it 14 feet. This would undoubtedly harm our children, schools, and elderly - not to mention cause irreparable damage to our structures. The EIR states a failure as "catastrophic".
Many of Patterson's homes would now fall under a "hazardous dam inundation zone", requiring notification when selling a property, reducing property values. Mortgage companies may require additional insurance, and those who wish to obtain it themselves could pay up to one thousand additional dollars annually.
The West Side is located in the region of the worst air quality in the nation. This project will add hundreds of tons of debris placing our disadvantaged community at even greater risk. The canyon is known for the kit fox, an endangered species, home to Yokut Indian artifacts, and where California's first paleontological finds were discovered. It has been a cherished respite for generations, and continues to be a destination for geology tours and bird watching. When the dam fluctuates in the summer, canyon visitors will get to see a revolting empty reservoir where trees and animals once flourished.
This is a private reservoir project, intended to assist the Water Exchange who serve farms as far away as one hundred miles. The private reservoir will offer no public recreation, however the county has offered an additional project to provide some opportunities. After reading the EIR, no park is worth the risk of this project.
We, the residents and friends of Del Puerto Canyon, are not anti dam. We are open to the alternate location at the Howard Road Exit. We plead you consider this instead of the Del Puerto Canyon.