Nor did anyone else. Even state water experts and environmentalists shrugged it off. But it's done, and the river won't ever be what it was. There hasn't been much reason to hope for restoration downstream of Friant Dam. For good reason.
Farmers vigorously defend their position.
In 1993, farmers and east-side communities greeted a proposed study on fish restoration with angry defiance and profound political muscle. They feared it was a prelude to losing water. Thousands crowded into meetings. Letters were written to high-ranking Clinton administration officials. The study didn't survive.