As someone who visited Del Puerto Canyon for more than 10 years, first as an undergraduate biology student and later as a GTA helping to oversee field trips there, I've seen both the intrinsic beauty of the place and its value for engaging and teaching others about the natural sciences.

     Of the sides currently involved in the fight, Save Del Puerto Canyon is currently in the best position to come up with plans to maintain the area's history of educational access and recreational opportunities for the local community.  While groups like the Center for Biological Diversity and the Sierra Club buy time through their lawsuit against the initial environmental review process for the dams, SDPC needs resources to engage their supporters in Patterson, recruit more team members, and help to pay for other outreach efforts to protect the canyon.  As well as support through their GoFundMe site (https://gofund.me/717595e3), they can be reached through their website at savedelpuertocanyon.org.

     With all of the news about California's drought, it may seem that arguments for stopping a reservoir might be misplaced.  However, most of what would be stored in the reservoir at Del Puerto Canyon would not be for local drinking water.  Instead, most of it would be used to supplement agribusinesses growing products for export, along with other interests outside of the immediate community.  Agriculture already accounts for 80% of business and residential water use in CA.  Meanwhile, those residents near Del Puerto Canyon would be saddled with the consequences of supporting those ventures - losing a place which many of them treasure and dealing with other risks of living near dams.  Since state and federal funds have been pledged to this project, our tax money could conceivably be supporting these dams, whether we agree with them or not.  For those who are concerned about the impacts of this project, this is our chance to voice our opinions and act to save Del Puerto Canyon!