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Acannon-shapedseadroneplungesthroughthedarkness.Onthewavesabove,NickySuardsteadiesherselfinaspeedboatasshemonitorsits

videofeed.Thedrone’stinypropellerskeepitsurgingthroughthedepths,divingfurtherintotheheartoftheSacramentoRiver.Itsflood-lightssendbackmurkyimagesofbubblesandsilt.There’snosignofwhatSuard’slookingfor.

Submerging,thetrekkerbouncesonthecurrentlikeadisorienteddroid.Thegadget’sglassfaceslowlypivotstowardastructureloomingoverit,afortifiedwallofsteelrising40feetabovethewater.ThisistheFreeportRegionalWaterAuthorityIntake,amongthegreatestmechanizedeyesoresfoundonthestate’slargestriver.It’salsoaharbingerofthingstocome.Ifproponents

oftheCaliforniaWaterFix,or“twintunnels,”gettheirway,thentitanicgrayrampartslikethiswillrunalonghugeswathsoftheruralDelta,alteringthestate’squietriverworld,changingitfromahistorichideawaytoahalf-emptyindustrialzone.

SuardownsSnugHarborMarinaonRyerIsland.Todayshe’susingherDeepTrekkerdronetofindoutifasweeperontheintake’ssteelscreencatchesunsuspect-ingfish.She’stryingtolearneverythingshecanaboutthetypeoffacilitiesthatwillcome—fully10-timeslarger—tothewaterwaysshecallshome.ForSuard’sneighborsinClarksburg,Hood,Courtland,LockeandWalnutGrove,themetallicmonstrosityatFreeportholdstheuntoldstoryofthetwintunnels:Partisanshavelongbattledoverhowtheproposed35-milewaterdiver-sionwillimpactthesalinityoftheDeltaandthesurvivaloftheChinooksalmonandsmelt.Butfewaretalkingaboutotherstarkeffectsofthetunnels,whichareburieddeepina40,000-pageEnvironmentalImpactReport.Thatdauntingdocumentpredicts14yearsofnonstopconstruc-tionalongthepeacefulNorthDeltacountryside,includingmassiveexcavation,deepdredging,steelpile-driving,therazingofhistorichomes,thedrainingofgroundwellsanddeploymentofhundredsofheavydieseltrucks,everyday,acrossnarrowleveeroadsand90-year-oldbridges.Seismiceffects,rowsofstadiumlights—it’safutureDeltaresidentsviewassomethingakintomilitaryoccupation.

Andwhenit’sover?Colossalsteelscreenswillrunincombinationformiles,replacingolddocks,orchardsandoakbowers—andafadingwayoflife.

Suardrealizesthere’stoomuchturbidityaroundtheintakeforhercamerastocheckonfish.“I’llhavetocomeback,”shesaysdefiantly.“Ireallywanttoinvestigatethis.”

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Suardgrabsthehelm,hammersthethrottleandjetsthebowhighoverthewaves.She’ssteeringhome,speedingawayfromtheedgeofSacramentoandbackintothemeanderingchannelsoftheDelta.SquintingintothewindsheglimpsestheshipwreckoftheWillaHelen,itscockpitdecayingintobrokenpiecesontoadistantbank.Water-skiersbuzzby.A1958Browardyachtcomesplow-ingoverthetide,itscaptainwavingfromthepilothouse.AndSuardspeedsfartherandfartherintohersecludedcommunityofriver-dwellers,backtoleveesbuiltbyveiledculturesandsloughsshadowedinstrangehistories.ThenorthDeltaisaplacemanyCaliforniansdon’tknow.Andthetimetoexperienceitmayberunningout.‘RIVEROFTIME’

Amolderingboatcalled“theWetDream”ishoistedfromthetide.Fixedonabarge,thecrane’slatticedboommovesthevesselthroughtheair,theovercrowdedbayalmostlurchingintothewavesastheweightshifts.Sean

AlexanderstaresfromunderaweatheredOutbackhat.Hissalvagecrewpullsnearly40oftheseghostboatsfromtheDeltaeachyear.

“Peoplejustcutthemlooseandabandonthem,”Alexandermuttersastherelic’sloweredtowardatraileronthesouthlevee.“Thisonehere’sallrottedout.It’llneverfloatrightagain.”

TheWetDreamdrifteddownfromCacheSloughandthenstartedsinkingalongSteamboatSlough.ItscorpsewasteeteringinthecurrentaheadofanintakeforTimNeuharth’spearorchards.Iftheghostboatcollidedwiththatequipment,itcouldhavedisruptedirrigationtoNeuharth’scrops,whichcover300acresofSutterIsland.Neuharth’srelievedthesalvageteamisheavingitout—it’sonethreattohisfarmtakencareof.Buttherealthreatneverseemstogoaway.Neuharth’sconvincedthetwintunnelswillendatraditionthat’sdefinedhisfamilyforfivegenerations.

Whenthelifelongfarmerwantstodiscussthetunnels,heinvitespeopletoSteamboatLanding,abeachshadedbydrapingoaksandasun-coloredironbridgecreatedbythedesigneroftheGoldenGate.ThelandinghasbeeninNeuharth’sfamilysince1848.Heknowsthenamesofthegrandpaddleshipsthathauntitsvanisheddocks:theModoc;theCottonPalace;thePrideoftheRiver;theDeltaKing.Neuharth’sfamilysoldsuppliestotheircaptainsandplantedlongfieldsofpears,cherriesandsaffron.TheircropswereloadedontobargesandmuscledbytugboattoSanFrancisco.

It’sacommunity-wideheritagethat’smadetheareabetweenHoodandCourtlandthebestpear-producingregioninCalifornia.Visitorsdrivingalongtherivercandetectthatlineageinthetall,emptygrainelevators,orHood’soldpackinghousethatstilljutsoutovertheeddies.Andthere’safuturehere,too.

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14YEARSOFNONSTOPCONSTRUCTION

AtCourtland’sannualPearFair,localchildrenwatchtheirparentsservingpearpies,pearicecream,pearstrudel,pearsalsaandevenhardpearcider.Thisyear,DeltaHighSchoolseniorLaurenChristiewascrownedtheofficialPearFairQueen.Thousandsattendtheeventtosupportorganicpear-growingintheregion.Neuharthhimselfstillhas125-year-oldlegacypeartreeslivinginhisorchard.Inhisview,ifthetwintunnelsarebuilt,Deltatownsthemselveswillbekilledoffjustassurelyashiscentury-oldfruittrees.

“Thisisthelargestinlandfreshwaterestuaryinthewesternhemisphere,”Neuharthobserves.“Thetunnelsaregoingtoturnitintoasaltwatermarsh.Notmanythingsgrowinasaltwatermarsh.”

NancyVogeloftheCaliforniaNaturalResourcesAgencydeniesthetwintunnelswillhavethateffect.SherecentlytoldSN&Rtheprojecthas“legalsafeguardsinplace”toprotectwaterqualityintheNorthDelta.Californiaofficialspushingthetunnelsgotback-upforthatstanceinJunefromtheNationalMarineFisheriesServiceandU.S.FishandWildlifeService.BothagencieswrotebiologicalopinionsindicatingthetunnelswillnotharmtheDelta’ssensitiveecosystem.

ButDeidreDesJardins,anindependentscientistwhostudiestheDelta,saysthoseproclamationsarebasedonhighlysuspiciouscomputermodeling.StatescientistsuseconceptualsimulationstopredicthowmuchfreshwatercanbedivertedfrompartsoftheDelta

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beforetheBay’ssaltincursionsreachalarminglevels.DesJardinssaysthat,whenitcomestothetwintunnels,Californiaofficialsmakeitimpossibleforoutsideresearcherstochecktheirmath.

“ThereisahugeflowoffreshwaterfromtheSacramentoRiverthatrepelsthesaltwater,”DesJardinsclaims.“Thestatehasspent$140milliononcomputermodelstosuggestthefishwon’tbeimpacted.It’sjustlayersuponlayersofcomputersimulations,noneofwhichhaveanycalibrationinformationthatthey’llexpose.That’sarealredflagforpeopledoingscience.”

Lastweek,asadelugeofnewlawsuitswerefiledagainstthestateoverthetunnels,theCaliforniaDepartmentofWaterResourcesstoppedcommentingaboutitsscientificmethodsaroundtheproject.

FarmersintheSouthDelta,whereintakesarealreadybeingoperatedbyCaliforniaofficials,saygrowerslikeNeuharthhaveverylegitimatefears.In2009,theSouthDeltaWaterAgencyfiledalegalinjunctionincourtagainsttheStateWaterResourcesControlBoardforviolatingwrittenagreementstokeepsaltwaterlevelslow.

“Theykeeptelling[NorthDeltafarmers]thattherearesalinitystandardsforthe[twintunnels],”DesJardinssays.“Butthestateroutinelyviolatesitsownsalinitystandards.”

Neuharthhasheldthosefearssince1981,whenGov.JerryBrownandsouthernCaliforniautilitydistrictsfirstproposedtakingwaterfromthenorthDeltathrougha“peripheralcanal.”Theexportedwaterwas,andstillis,meanttogoprimarilytolarge-scaleagricultureoperationsinsomeofthestate’smostaridvalleys.Theperipheralcanalwassoundlycrushedinapublicvote.Butthetwintunnelsprojectisbeinghandledentirelybythelegisla-tureandkeptawayfromtheCaliforniaelectorate.ForNeuharth,that’swhatmakestheprojectlittlemorethanapoliticalcrime.

“That’satragedy,”Neuharthsaysoftheprocess.“Thepowersthatbedon’twantitdefeatedinastatewidevote....So,whatwillhappenisthatbillionsofagriculturaldollarsherewillgotozero,allthepeopleemployedintheregion’sindustrieswillgotozero,andtheneventuallythesaltwaterwilldamagethegroundwells;andwhenthathappens,we’redonelivinghere,too.”

OFWANDERERSANDWATERDOGS

BeerglassesechoonantiquewoodunderthebladeofJohnnyCash’svoice:It’slongpastnoonandthebar’sfullagainatAltheWop’s.That’sbeentheestablishment’snamesincethe1930s,andit’sstilladenofboozybanter,slurredjibesandstealth,riversidepartying.Neonglintsonataxidermiedbuffalohead.Mountedfishanddirtydollarbillshangfromitscorners.Thericketyhall’sdimensionsaretheonlyspotonMainStreet,Locke,notassociatedwithChinesehistory.Asignoverthelastfourstoolsreads,“AssholeAlley.”

VisitorscometoLocketosoakintheCantonmemoriesinitswarpedbalconiesandleaninghouseframes,butmanyendupinAltheWop’s,movingblearyeyesacrosshalf-strungguitarsandpicturesofdeadsharksonthewalls.PhotojournalistJamesMotlow,aresidentofLockeforfourdecades,doesn’thavetimefor2o’clockdrinkingtoday.He’stoobusysendingemailswithupdatesonthetwintunnels.ItwasMotlow’scamerathatcapturedthetwilightoftheChinesefamiliesinLocke.Thetownwashammeredtogetherin1915bygrandchildrenoftheCantoneseimmigrantswhobuiltuptheleveewalls.BythetimeMotlowarrivedinthe1970s,mostofLocke’spost-wargenerationofChinese-Americanshadmovedaway,leavingahandfulofitseldersinhabitingtheremnantsoffishmarkets,herbshops,gamblinghalls,

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brothelsandopiumdens.Motlow’sphotographypreservedtheirwayoflife:Mr.WongYowwheelingmelonsthroughhisyard;Mr.SuenHoonSumstandingonhisporch;Mr.BingFaiChowholdingafedorainhisboardinghouse.

“BeforeIgotthere,theyreallydidn’tliketohavetheirpicturestakenbyoutsiders,”Motlowrecalls.“Itwasn’tuntilJoneHoLeongjuststoppedonedayandletmephotographherfacethateverythingchanged.”

AsthesunsetontheruralChinesetown,asmallgroupofwritersandBeatpoetsmovedintoLockefromSanFrancisco.Withthemcameartisanslikecabinet-makerRussellOoms,whosaysheneverwantstoleave.OomsviewsLockeasacloseknitamalgamofLatinofarmfamiliesandodd,bohemiansurvivors.Acollec-tionoftownfolkoftenspendshoursatduskchattinginLocke’sbackgarden.

YetmanywillhavetoleaveifLocke’sorchardsandbusinessesclose.Accordingtoadensestate-sponsoredtrafficanalysisofthetwintunnelsproject,its

creationputsaminimumof230additionalindividualtrucktripsperdayontheDelta’snarrowroadsandtight,agingbridges.Thatis,everydayfor14years.Dependingonpeakconstructiontime,thatnumbercouldrisetowellover800additionaltrucktripsperday.Somereclamationexpertsestimatethevolumeevenhigher.Thisconvoyofbigrigswouldmoveupanddownawindy35-milestretchofroadbetweenFreeportandRioVistawithalmostnoplacestopullover.TheownersoftheNorthDelta’smarinas,restaurants,stores,artgalleries,winetastingroomsaresuretouristswon’tbravetrafficbottlenecksforoveradecadetopatronizetheirbusinesses.

“PeoplethinkofMainStreetLockeasaghosttown,andtheydon’tknowwhatathrivingcommunitywehave,”Oomsstresses.“AndpeoplearoundCaliforniahavenoideawhatthistunnelprojectreallyis,andwhatitwilldotous.”

Motlowagrees.Evenwiththecurrentinfusionoftour-ists,hesays,Locke’ssmallbusiness-ownersarestrugglingtomakeit.Gridlockcouldbeadeathknell.

“We’reisolatedhereandwe’llbecomemoreisolated,”Motlowsays.“Propertyvalueswillcollapse.”

AfewmilesfromLocke,thebaratGiusti’siscrowdedwithfarmersdrinkingwinewiththeirbackstoadormantjukebox.Theslough-sidehubhasstoodononeofWalnutGrove’srearleveessince1912.Outside,ahouseboatpaintedasanOaklandRaiderstributefloatsalongthedock.Inside,thetavernremainsamenagerieofcheckeredshirtsandthinreadingglasses—alineofmenhunchedunderthelowceilingplasteredinupside-downtruckercaps.Adecalonthemirrorponders,“WhatinheckisaPortugueseWaterDog?”Here,thatwordispronounced“Portuguese”afteronedrinkand“Portagee”afterthree.EithertermisareferencetoanotherculturalforceintheNorthDelta,asetofthirdandfourthgenerationfamilieswhohavetilledthelandforacentury.Everyyearastrikingpageantrypasseddownwiththeseblood-linesisondisplayattheDelta’sPortugueseFestival.TeensinIberianridingcostumesandregalEuropeangownsmarchdownSouthRiverRoad,fromSt.Joseph’sCathedraltothePortugueseHallonLisbonIsland.Thespectaclehaspassersbyblinkingtomakesurethey’renotinPortoortheAzores.

ItwaswaterthatbroughtthePortuguesetotownslikeWalnutGrove.Manyarrivedwithnothingandbuilttheirfarmsupthroughsheerwhite-knuckledetermination.ThatwastrueofSteveMello’sgrandparents,allfourofwhomstruggledtosurviveafterarrivingfromIberia.Andyet,today,Mello’sfamilygrowscorn,barley,grainandalfalfaonmorethan2,000acres.Likesomeofhisneighbors,Melloisrecognizedasaleaderinwildlifefriendlyfarmingtechniques.He’salsoacommunityfigurewho’sbeentryingtospreadthewordaboutthedevastating

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magnitudeofthetwintunnels’construction.Mellosaysthatanendlesscavalcadeofdieseltrucksonthepinchedroadswillparalyzeallfarmers’abilitytoshipthelocalharvest.

“Wealreadyhavefarmingequipmentmovingupanddowntheseroadsinverydangerousconditions,”Mellonotes.“It’sgoingtobeextremelyhardtomoveourcropsout.”

AccordingtotheCaliforniaCentralFloodAssociation,thetunnelsproject’snonstopwearandtearonroadwaysalsoraisesanover-archingsafetyconcern.

“TheEIRdidn’tanalyzewhat’sunderthepavementthosetruckswillbedrivingon,”saysMelindaTerry,aspokeswomanforCCFA.“What’sunderthemisalevee.

“Wealreadyhavefarmingequipmentmovingupanddowntheseroadsinverydangerousconditions,”Mellonotes.“It’sgoingtobeextremelyhardtomoveourcropsout.”

ForthepeopleofLockeandWalnutGrove,roaringtruckenginesandvibratingoldbridgesaren’ttheonlysonicimpact.Theyarejustasfearfulaboutthenoisesthatmightend.MosteveningsintheNorthDeltaarealivewithachoirofducks,swanandgeesecallingfromsloughsandditches.TheDeltaisintheheartofthePacificFlyway;ducksandgeesedon’tnestinsaltwater.

Mello,recentlyhonoredasconservationfarmeroftheyearbytheLodiSandHillCraneAssociation,seesthebirdimpactsofthetunnelsasmoreproofofanunderlininghypocrisyinthestateofCalifornia’senvironmentalvalues.

“Isitreasonabletosacrificethewaterfowlandmigra-torybirds,whichwe’vesworntoprotectinaninterna-tionaltreatywithCanadaandMexico,andisitreasonabletoletsomuchfarmacreagegofallowevenaswekillourownfisheries,justtogrowmorealmondsinSouthernCaliforniaforbillion-dollarfarmoperators?”Mellochal-lenges.“Thisisaboutirrigatingadesertthatnevershouldhavebeenputintofarmproductioninthefirstplace.”LOOKINGHOMEWARD

Adoorcreaksopen,pullingraysthroughwebsandshadows,illuminatingshodobrushstrokesonaforgottenscroll.MarkWilsonandMarkPrunerwanderintotheshellofHollandUnionGakuen,anabandonedJapaneseLanguageSchoolerectedin1927.ThebuildingstandsontheoutskirtsofClarksburg,half-wrappedinoakbranches,concealedbywildgrapeandbeehivesbeneathavine-tangledlevee.Wilsonwasbornandraisednearby,andthoughhe’snotJapanese,hehadtakenclassesinthisroomasakidwithfriendswhowereNisei—second-generationJapanese-Americans.

Thatwasafterthechildrenreturnedhomefrombeingforcedintoaninternmentcamp.OfalltheNorthDelta’stowns,Clarksburgisthebestknownandmostvisited.That’sthanks

topioneer-inggrapefarmerslikeWilsonandWarrenBogle,whoprovedvineyardsfedbyriverwindcouldyieldsomeofthebestCheninBlancintheworld.TheClarksburgwineappellationnowdrawstensofthousandsofvisitorseachyear.Theycometodrinkvinoinsiderusticbarns

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andcentury-oldfactoryhusks.Theystaytobemesmerizedbycottonwoodandblackwalnutbranchesswayingsilentlyoverthewaterways.

WilsonisproudoftheriversideoasisClarksburg’sbecome,butheknowstherealstoryofthetown—thestoryofClarksburgduringWorldWarII—ismoreintriguingandheart-rendingthananythingstrangerswouldguess:ClarksburgwasthesiteoftwoGermanprisonerofwarcamps,aswellasaplacewherelongtimeJapanese-Americanfamiliesweremadeprisonersbytheirowncountry.Clarksburgencapsulatesapastthatshouldneverbeforgotten,thoughasfarasWilsonandPrunerareconcerned,it’salegacythatcouldbedestroyedinthenearfuture.ThetownisslatedtobeontheedgeofthemostdisruptiveconstructionintheentireCaliforniaWaterfixproject.

“Therearen’tmanyplaceslikethis,”Wilsonsays.“Ithinkthepowersbehind[thetunnels]neverrealizedhowhardwe’dbewillingtofightforit.”

Wilson’sgrandparentsmovedtoClarksburgin1922,sugarbeetgrowerswholivedinafoundationlessshackthatcouldbehauledbyhorsestodifferentfields.Overthedecades,theWilsonhomesteadgrewandthefamilyprospered.Japanesefarmerswerealsomakingalifeinthearea.Backthen,ClarksburghadtheonlypublicschoolsintheDeltathatwereintegrated.ThecomraderybetweenthekidsledtheJapaneseelderstoopentheHollandUnionGakuen,ensuringtheirchildrenwouldn’tlosesightoftheirlanguageandheritage.EventuallynearlyhalfofthestudentsatClarksburg’shighschoolwereJapanese-Americans.

TheattackonPearlHarborchangedeverything.OnJune8,1942,Clarksburghelditshighschoolgradua-tion.Halfthestudentswereinthebleachers.Theotherhalf—theJapanese-Americanhalf—wereatthatmomentloadingontotrucksboundforFreeport,whereatrainwouldtakethemtoTuleLake,oneof10internmentcampsthatAmericansofJapanesedescentwereforcedintoaftertheoutbreakofthewar.Wilsonwasyoung,butknowsthatsomeofClarksburg’sfamiliesdidtheirbesttowatchoverthepropertyoftheirimprisonedfriends.

“Thereweresomefarmerswhodidwhatevertheycouldfortheirneighbors,”Wilsonsays.“Therewereotherswhojustshoweduptobuyalltheirbelongingsfornexttonothing.Weweren’tallangels;buttherewerepeoplewhotriedtohelp.”

NotlongaftertheJapanese-AmericanswereemptiedfromClarksburg,itsouterfieldswerefilledwithGermanwarprisonerswho’dbeencapturedbyAlliedforcesduringthefightinginNorthAfrica.OneofClarksburg’scampswasputunderthesupervisionofU.S.AirForceMajorLesterHeringer,whokeptthePOWsonhisfamilyfarmnestledalongashadytunnelofgrandoaktrees.Heringer’ssons,DukeandStephen,wentontobecometwoofClarksburg’sdefiningwineproducers.

Today,theonlysoundinClarksburg’smarinaatduskistherustlingofmagnoliasandbeatingofthestarsandstripesoveridlesailmasts.It’squietenoughtomedi-tate—quietenoughtocontemplateanentangledhistoryofculturalencounters.

Butthecalmviews,theserenestillness,maynotlast.Thefirstofthetunnels’enormousintakes—withitssurgetowers,concreteplant,fuel

stationandlongsteelandconcretescreens—isslatedtobebuiltalmostdirectlyacrosstheriverfromClarksburg.Thestate’sEIRclearlyindicatesthat,duringthe14yearsofconstruction,thesitewillringwithasmuchas42,000individualpile-strikesaday.That’strueoftheintakesbeingbuiltnexttoHoodandnorthofCourtland.Additionally,theEIRpredictsthelarge-scaledestructionofnativetreesandhistoricbuild-ings,thebreakingapartandreformingofleveeroadwaysandthediggingof“de-welling”siteswithinthegroundwateraquifer.TheEIRalsooutlineswidespreadsound,dustandseismicactivitynearthetownforyearsonend.ForClarksburgresidents,thiswon’tlookmuchdifferentthanthewarzonetheGermanprisoners

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oncearrivedfrom.LeadersattheCaliforniaCentralFloodAssociationagreewithWilsonandPrunerthattheprojectwillresultintheabandonmentofdozensofhomesandproperties.

“We’vegottoeducatepeopleontheDeltaandallthemagicalhistorythatwillbelost,”saysBarbaraDaly,aClarksburglibrarianwho’sbeeninvitingoutsiderstoseetheriverandsloughsupclose.“It’sahistorypeoplejustdon’tknowabout.”

WilsonandacoalitionofDeltafarmersrecentlyfiledalawsuitagainstthestateoverthetunnels.Thelead-ersofSacramentoandYolocountiesjustjoinedotherlocalgovernmentsinaseparatelegalaction.Numerousenvironmentalgroupsarealsosuing.Andyetlegalexpertswarnthatnoneofthesefilingswillnecessarilystoptheproject—orsavetherarerhythmsoflifethatexistfromClarksburgtoWalnutGrove.

“Ifithappens,thisplacewillneverbethesame,”Wilsonsays.“Tome,it’slikethehistoryoftheWestreplayingitself.It’smanifestdestiny;andtodaywelookbackandsaythatsameprocesscreatedalotofwealth,butitcauseduntolddamage.”

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