Graduation Year

2025

Document Type

Campus Only Senior Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Environmental Analysis

Reader 1

Char Miller

Reader 2

Marc Los Huertos

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Maya V Forgus

Abstract

This thesis examines the recurring flooding in the Pajaro Valley, California, arguing that these events are not solely natural disasters but the result of decades of governmental inaction and systemic neglect. The research traces the valley's history from pre-colonial Ohlone land management to the present, highlighting how shifting land ownership patterns, exploitative labor practices, and the prioritization of agricultural profits over community well-being have contributed to the region's vulnerability. Analysis of historical records, news archives, and legal documents reveals how the construction and inadequate maintenance of the Pajaro River levee system, coupled with the disruption of natural hydrological processes, have disproportionately impacted the low-income, predominantly Latino community of Pajaro. The thesis culminates in an analysis of the 1995 and 2023 floods, with the ongoing struggle for environmental justice and accountability. Ultimately, the thesis argues that the repeated flooding in the town of Pajaro is a consequence of colonial hydrology, urging a critical re-evaluation of flood management and land-use policies.

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This thesis is restricted to the Claremont Colleges current faculty, students, and staff.

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