Protest Against Diversion of Waters from Lands Requiring Irrigation from Citizens of Merced and Stanislaus Counties, California
Not all opponents to the Raker Bill, a bill to grant San Francisco the right to dam the Hetch Hetchy Valley, supported preserving the Hetch Hetchy Valley. Substantial resistance to the dam came from rural California residents who feared losing access to an irrigation source. This resolution, passed by 2,000 citizens of Merced and Stanislaus counties, California, requested that the Congress defeat the Raker Bill, because it would divert necessary water from their water supply in the San Joaquin watershed. The final version of the Raker Bill as passed by Congress included provisions that protected the interests of the Modesto and Turlock irrigation districts.
Protest Against Diversion of Waters from Lands Requiring Irrigation from Citizens of Merced and Stanislaus Counties, California, May 30, 1913; Committee on Public Land; Petitions and Memorials (SEN 63A-F26); Records of the U.S. Senate, Record Group 46; NAID 7268067