Kesterson National Wildlife Refuge

Westlands-Kesterson Timeline

• 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 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 says USBR has 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 - Tragedy at Kesterson Reservoir: Death of a Wildlife Refuge Illustrates Failings of Water Law
• 1996 - USBR and State forms Grasslands Bypass Project to divert contaminated water from going into Kesterson
• 2000 Mar 1 - Court of Appeals orders USBR to construct CVP Drain
• Jun 9 - $450 million water plan proposed by Governor 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 - Cal fishing community says 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 Dept in government's favor
• 2017 Mar 17 - San Luis Unit Drainage Resolution Act proposed to deal with Kesterson drainage
• May 18 - Ex-Westlands Water District lobbyist picked for key Dept. of 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: Whose 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