Kesterson National Wildlife Refuge papers, ca. 1980-1986.

ArchivalResource

Kesterson National Wildlife Refuge (Calif.). Kesterson National Wildlife Refuge papers, ca. 1980-1986.

Kesterson National Wildlife Refuge papers, ca. 1980-1986.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/367841007

Papers about the selenium pollution of the Kesterson Wildlife Refuge. There are books, newspaper clippings, court cases (Claus vs. U.S. circa 1980), maps, magazines and soil surveys. The collection is an excellent source for the history of selenium build-up in the Kesterson Wildlife Refuge, how pollutants affect wildlife, livestock, crops and humans, the premature aging of lakes, plans to build an experimental desalting plant, water allocation decisions of California, the Grasslands Easement Program and some environmental White House Executive Orders. Fresno County farmers wanted to direct their polluted water to the San Francisco Bay through a pipe called the San Luis Drain. Lack of funds and objections of environmentalists aborted the project. The San Luis Drain was stopped in the Kesterson Wildlife Reserve, and dumped pollutants into it. The toxin, selenium, began to cause deformities in waterfowl, which drew the attention of the public to the situation.

33 cartons (36 linear ft.)

Harold B. Lee Library