Gabe Lewins’ history (July 29) does not go back far enough to justify saying that “they” are water robbers; his “they” refers to Solano Irrigation District, and if he researched the deeper history of Putah Creek water flows, Lake Berryessa and the construction of Monticello Dam, he would find out that “we” — actually our political leaders at the time — gave the water rights away.
In the late 1940s, the Yolo County Board of Supervisors sent a letter to then-Congressman LeRoy “Bizz” Johnson, telling him to inform the Bureau of Reclamation that Yolo County did not wish to participate in the proposed project to dam Putah Creek.
Solano County did not have to even share the water rights that were subsequently created; for more than 40 years Solano owned it all. It was only 20 years ago that restoration of the fishery and the riparian habitat was even considered by folks in Yolo County. In California, there are very few water purveyors that give up their rights without a fight.