Water is California's lifeblood. Owens Valley in eastern California was once a prosperous farming community that thrived next to a river flowing in Central Valley. When state and federal agencies bought the water rights in the Valley during the Great Depression, the water was diverted to Los Angeles (LA). Without its water, the agricultural economy of Owens Valley came to a grinding halt. The Valley turned into a desert over time, and once flourishing towns were reduced to rubble.

The history of California is replete with such stories of water projects, in which streams were diverted to economic uses. Mono Lake, near the world-renowned Yosemite National Park, is another example of a beautiful natural resort that became a victim of LA city. Water from the Lake was diverted to LA through an aqueduct and the water level in the Lake dropped by 30 to 40 feet. The fight to restore Mono Lake to its original state united environ- mentalists throughout California.