[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 41 (Wednesday, April 5, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E496]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           ESTABLISH A CENTER IN THE DIAMOND VALLEY RESERVOIR

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                            HON. KEN CALVERT

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, April 5, 2000

  Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to introduce legislation that 
will assist in establishing an interpretive and cultural center in the 
vicinity of the Diamond Valley Reservoir in southern California. This 
center will preserve, protect and make available the extraordinary 
discoveries that were uncovered during the construction of the Diamond 
Valley Reservoir to all citizens of the United States.
  During the past five years, the construction of the Diamond Valley 
Reservoir outside of Hemet, California has been the largest, private, 
earth moving construction project in the United States. The Reservoir 
is now the largest man made lake in southern California. It covers 
4,500 acres, is 4.5 miles long and 2 miles wide and is 160-250 feet 
deep. The cost of $1.8 billion for construction was totally borne by 
the residents of southern California. The reservoir will provide a 
desperately needed emergency supply of water for the city of Los 
Angeles and the surrounding area.
  During the construction and excavation of this massive project, 
extraordinary paleontology and archeology discoveries were uncovered. 
Unearthed were 365 prehistoric sites, pictographs, petroglyphs, stone 
tools, bone tools, and arrow heads. In addition, a preserved mastodon 
skeleton, a mammoth skeleton and a 7 foot tusk and bones from extinct 
animals previously unknown to have resided in the area including the 
giant Long-Horned Bison and an enormous North American Lion were 
discovered. In addition, the construction of the Diamond Valley 
Reservoir unearthed the largest known accumulation of late Ice Age 
fossils known in California. The scientific importance of this 
collection may now rival California's other famed site, the La Brea Tar 
Pits.
  It is my honor to introduce legislation which will be the first step 
in preserving this world class collection of archaeological, 
paleontological and late Ice Age fossils for future generations.

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