• 1952 -
Westlands Water District is formed and would become the nation's largest
water district, covering 600,000 acres • 1961 -
United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) agrees to build
San Luis Reservoir and a runoff drain that would benefit the Westlands • 1975 - Funding for the Westlands drain cut by
Congress resulting in toxic run-off diverted to Kesterson National Wildlife Refuge evaporation ponds • 1977 Nov 5 - 529 page federal report finds USBR failed to breakup corporate ownership in Westlands over 160 acre limit • 1978 - 7,000 acre-feet of toxic water laced with
selenium and
pesticides sent annually to Kesterson evaporation ponds flows into wildlife reserve • 1983 - 60% of baby birds are deformed within Kesterson National Wildlife Refuge where contaminated water is sent • 1985 - Publication of "Tragedy at Kesterson Reservoir: Death of a Wildlife Refuge Illustrates Failings of Water Law" • 1996 - USBR and
State of California form Grasslands Bypass Project to divert contaminated water from going into Kesterson • 2000 Mar 1 - Court of Appeals orders USBR to construct
Central Valley Project (CVP) Drain • Jun 9 - $450 million water plan proposed by Governor
Gray Davis includes raising
Shasta Dam height • 2002 Feb 13 -
Natural Resources Defense Council appeals judge's ruling over how much CVP water can be retained for wildlife • Nov 17 - USBR close to making deal to buy contaminated lands in Westlands • 2004 Apr 22 - Sac Express The Rich get wetter • Jul 14 - Court order allows for protection of fish in
Trinity River with water • Sep 14 - EWG Less Land, More Water Soaking Uncle Sam • 2007 Aug 30 - California fishing
e-magazine publishes, "Westlands wants to raise Shasta Dam and grab $40 billion in subsidized water" • 2009 Jun 10 - TJA CVP pumping changes to protect fish • 2012 Mar 2 -
Court of Appeals ends thirteen-year legal battle between Westlands and
Interior Department in government's favor • 2017 Mar 17 - San Luis Unit Drainage Resolution Act (H.R.1769) proposed to deal with Kesterson drainage • May 18 - Ex-Westlands Water District lobbyist picked for key Department of the Interior post • Nov 10 - USBR and Westlands Water District settlement in limbo • 2018 Jan 23 - Deadline passes but Westlands confident of help from Congress • May 3 - Billions at play over Kesterson impacts and the growing pressure to accept deal from Westland's big farmers • 2019 May 1 - USBR-Westlands drainage deal for CVP water: Who's who and what's involved • May 23 -
Congressional Research Service releases new report on the CVP and legislative proposals • Sept 6 - Environmentalists win Appeals Court victory against San Joaquin Valley agricultural polluters • Nov 15 -
Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, who was the former lawyer for Westlands proposes permanent CVP water contract ==See also==