The Winnemem Wintu Tribe is battling a federal plan to raise the Shasta Dam in California.

The Bureau of Reclamation is proposing to raise the dam by nearly 19 feet in order in to enlarge the reservoir. The agency says the move will provide a reliable source of water and help salmon.

But the tribe says the raising will destroy the Wintu's last remaining sacred sites. The construction of the dam in 1945 already destroyed much of the tribe's land base.

The tribe is not federally recognized despite having dealings with federal agencies for decades. The tribe signed a treaty with the United States in 1851 but it was never ratified. President Grover Cleveland issued allotments to tribal members in 1893.

When the Shasta Dam was built, the Interior Department was required to hold a tribal cemetery in trust. The tribe says the promise was never fulfilled. The cemetery is currently being overseen by the Bureau of Land Management.

Get the Story:
The Flooding of Winnemem Wintu Tribe Sacred Sites (The Epoch Times 12/1)

Relevant Links:
Winnemum Wintu Tribe - http://www.winnememwintu.us

Related Stories:
California tribe sues over federal water plan (08/10)
Tribe to speak out against raising of Shasta Dam (05/18)
Tribe fears raising Shasta Dam will destroy sacred sites (02/28)
Winnemem Wintu Tribe goes to war for sacred sites (09/14)
Wintu Tribe's ceremony will challenge dam proposal (08/31)
Officials allow tribal ceremony at Shasta Dam (8/30)