By Roger Cornwell, President RD 108
As far back as the 1870s, the people of Reclamation District 108 were faced with seemingly insurmountable challenges, but they always seemed to find a resolution to the problem before them. From building levees to corral the mighty Sacramento River, to pumping out millions of gallons of floodwater from the fields, to creating unique irrigation systems to support crop growth, our ancestors uncovered innovative and sustainable solutions that we still use to this day.
In 2022, we are tackling some of the same problems of the decades before but are also faced with new challenges. Longer periods of drought, reduced water sup plies, water efficiency and delivery struggles, and the integration of fish, bird and wildlife habitat are all before the district and will likely continue for years to come. Our “can-do” attitude of the past has positioned us to tackle the new challenges head-on. We have never waited for someone else to come along and fix our problems for us, and we will continue to persevere for generations after us.
The landowners, the farmers and the staff of Reclamation District 108 will continue to be innovative, collaborative and take necessary risks to solve the problems before us. We have served as front runners in flood control, irrigation, farming and wildlife conservation, and there is little doubt we will continue to be called upon to provide solutions both near and far.
As we have demonstrated for 150 years, whatever the challenge, we will remain committed to the fix and not the fight. We will look to build lasting partnerships that dramatically shape our future while securing our way of life.
I am proud to be part of Reclamation District 108, and I look forward to working alongside all of you in the years to come to continue to make this one of the best places in the world.
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View RD 108’s Anniversary Program To see a 16 minute video on the history of RD 108, click here. |
