Well, again, I don't care if you differ because you ignore the politics both here and in D.C. The money was not re-authorized and had it been, the locals would have had time to work out distributive matters.
The Dem controlled CONgress and the Carter Whitehouse were both pist at CA for electing Gerald R. Ford, a rotten Repellican!!!
Jerry Brown was governor and his ties to the rafting crowd are well known and he had to teach his constituents to "lower their expectations!" The rafters were still pist from being "mitigated" from the Stanislaus to the American river due to the New Melones reservoir being created on their playland thrill ride and they refused to grow up and were determined to stop any further dams upon the rivers... especially one that was only 2/3rds finished!!!
You can blame the local governmental agencies all you want, but everything imaginable was thrown at Auburn Dam, most of which was more stupid, senseless EnvironMental crappola!
i.e. an ancient earthquake fault (Bear Mtn. Fault) ran under the site and would create too much risk for Sacramento. Hell, every reservior in CA is built on faults more recently active than that old thing!!!
They even got the local oldsters living in Auburn Lake Trails to worrying about "The Lake Effect" and how the added humidity would cripple them with arthritus. Now it sits up there on that ridgeline as a dried up target for the next wildfire that belches up out of that canyon!!!
Now I can't remember where you told me you got that point of view of yours on this subject, but it sounds a lot like you simply compiled it in your memory out of all the Sacramento Bee's negativity at the prodding of the rafters, "Progressives" Pagans and enviros!!!
1) None, repeat none, disagreed with 100 year flood control.
2) 100 year flood control would be authorized today because the expensive work is complete.
3) The high dam was the center of the dispute.
4) Not a single municipality, not a single county nor the State of California would agree to pay a fair share for the substantial, additional cost of the high dam.
5) Today, federal taxpayers outside of California continue unwilling to subsidize a handful of counties in California.
6) The high dam could still be built today if, in spite of environmental opposition, the local beneficiaries would foot the bill through local property assessments and rate subsidies.
A great irony in this epic battle between local and federal interest is that environmental considerations may ultimately force construction of the high dam as population pressure reduces the absorptive capacity of the delta and additional storage in the watershed is need to maintain SF Bay during low water flow periods.