Vision or Villainy: Origins of the Owens Valley-Los Angeles Water Controversy (Environmental History Series)

Rating:
Summary: A great, informative look at a controversial saga.
Review: In California, the battle for water between Los Angeles and the Owens Valley still rages to this day, and Professor Abraham Hoffman's scholarly work sheds some well-reseached light upon this 80-year old contest. Between 1905 and 1913, Los Angeles built the L.A.-Owens River Aqueduct, the largest public engineering project in the world, to divert the waters of Owens River to feed the rapidly-growing city of Los Angeles, 233 miles to the south. One man, William Mulholland, was the star in this drama, and to this day has taken the brunt of blame for the controversies involved. Was he really to blame, was it that simple, or were there other people and powerful forces exerting their influence on the events that shaped the California we know today? Expand your knowledge by reading this book! After you do, you may never feel the same about turning on the faucet. The only real flaw in this book is in the reproduction printing. Historic photos and images that were rich and vibrant in the original hardcover are blurry and scored with moire' patterns due to poor reproduction. Otherwise, it's a must for your bookshelf.