Book Notes

(from the California HISTORIAN)

The Great Thirst: Californians and Water - a History
By Norris Hundley, Jr.
(University of California Press, Berkeley, CA
2001, 789 pages, paperback, $24.95,
revised edition, ISBN 0520-22456-6)

Reviewed by Grace MacNeill
Librarian, Retired

In his preface to this 2nd edition, the author proposes to correct errors and omissions and bring up to date the issues in the on-going development of California water dynamics.

Water in early California settlements was considered a community resource and responsibility under Iberian custom as established in Mexico. The first conflicts arose in southern California when the pueblos and missions each claimed prior rights to local rivers.

The onset of legal challenges and laissez-faire appropriation of water began with the arrival of Americans in 18461850. Gold mining had an emphatic effect on the landscape: the miners used water in many destructive ways. When they turned to farming after gold ran out they developed extensive irrigation systems which led to conflicts carried into courts where political parties became closely involved. The author describes in detail many instances in which political maneuvering affected legal decisions on water rights.

Full descriptions of the several major water delivery systems are included. The Central Valley Project is anchored by the Shasta Dam, New Melones Dam and Delta Mendota Canal. The State Water Project is anchored by the Oroville Dam and the California Aqueduct. The Metropolitan Water District (Los Angeles) uses Owens Valley and Colorado River water, while San Francisco uses Hetch Hetchy water from a Sierra dam opposed bitterly by John Muir.

Currently unsettled is the resolution of the Peripheral Canal proposal to divert Sacramento river water before it reaches the salty San Francisco Bay. This clearer water would flow southwest of Lodi and Stockton to become available to the State Water Project and the Central Valley Project. North/ south state politics is heavily involved in this fight.

The incredible array of state and federal agencies created to regulate various San Francisco Bay and Delta water related functions finally have an umbrella under which they can meet: CALFED. Here again politics is stalling decisions. State-wide, farmers, urbanites, environmentalists, water companies and agribusiness all push their own interest. The author hopes for an electorate encouraged to abandon attitudes of increasing urban spread and extravagant water use.

With 563 pages of informative text, 120 figures and maps, 119 pages of chapter notes and 79 pages of bibliography, this book is a prime resource for any one interested in California's complicated water history.