The silted up, useless, unsafe, and steelhead blocking, San Clemente Dam awaits removal
The Army has a long history of helping out with civilian projects that provide a good opportunity for military civil works training, and the Carmel River’s San Clemente Dam removal project has long seemed like a perfect opportunity for this kind of synergy. It would give Army engineers a rare opportunity to tackle a large-scale project in rugged terrain, while reducing the cost of the demolition to taxpayers and ratepayers. The California National Guard has even visited the site and confirmed that the job would be an excellent training opportunity.
Yet, for reasons unclear, the Department of Defense’s Innovative Readiness Training Program rejected the project and pleas from Representative Farr and Senators Feinstein and Boxer have apparently fallen on deaf ears.
That might still be the end of it, but an interesting new ally emerged last week as former Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, John Paul Woodley, published an article in The Hill’s Congress Blog criticizing the “bunker mentality” preventing money saving inter-agency collaborations, calling on Leon Panetta to break the gridlock, and suggesting that he get started by bringing in the Army to take out the San Clemente Dam.
How about it Leon?
Xasáuan Today 
I am so impressed with all the different needs and projects this site keeps up with. You made a great point in this article.
Ditto what Kathy says above.