To: The United States House of Representatives
Don't Raise the Dam and Flood the Merced River
I urge Congress to OPPOSE H.R. 934, legislation introduced by Rep. Tom McClintock of California to flood the Wild and Scenic Merced River. It would drown the habitat of the fully protected species, flood a stretch of the Merced that is tremendous for whitewater rafting, and it would set a horrible precedent. Namely that it is acceptable to flood a Wild and Scenic River, supposedly protected in perpetuity, in order to build a bigger dam. Please take action to stop this bill!
Why is this important?
A bill introduced by Representative Tom McClintock (R-CA) would remove long-standing Wild & Scenic River protections from a section of the Merced River and allow the Merced Irrigation District to raise a dam. If passed, this bill would mark the first time in the 50-year history of the Wild and Scenic Rivers System that a river was stripped of protection in order to raise or build a dam
This could flood almost a mile of one of California's last, best, free-flowing rivers for a pittance of water [~1% increase].
This could flood almost a mile of one of California's last, best, free-flowing rivers for a pittance of water [~1% increase].