Just north of Fresno, multinational cement and aggregates producer CEMEX, a $15 billion company headquartered in Mexico, is requesting that the Fresno County Board of Supervisors grant a permit on Thursday to blast a riverbank site into a pit about 300 feet deep and wide enough to span the Golden Gate Bridge.
The proposed quarry would sit within the federally designated floodplain of the San Joaquin River. CEMEX’s own flood‑risk analysis this year shows that, in a major flood, river water could come within inches of breaching the pit’s protective berms, with only about 7 inches of freeboard remaining.
State and federal agencies have outlined a contrasting vision for the corridor. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the State of California plan to create the region’s largest park system, while the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation intends to restore the river to support salmon spawning. Roughly $1 billion in taxpayer funds have been pledged for the park‑and‑salmon project.
UC Berkeley fluvial geomorphologist Mathias Kondolf warned that a breach is “not a matter of if, but when,” saying a flood‑induced spill could release chemicals into the river, jeopardize the salmon run, and alter the river’s course relied on by downstream farmers and the planned parkway. He called the lack of adequate safeguards a “real red flag” and questioned whether the river could ever be restored after such damage.
The Bureau of Reclamation and the State Department of Fish and Wildlife have each sent letters to Fresno County highlighting the risk that a breach could cause long‑term impacts to fisheries, jeopardize water deliveries to holding contracts below the site, and threaten the ability to deliver water to the Mendota Pool for the Exchange Contract. County planners responded that the scenario is unlikely and noted that CEMEX would cooperate with regulators if a breach occurred.
County communications director Sonja Dosti said the Public Works team is fielding a high volume of public comments and does not have time to answer each individually. When asked about potential damages, Fresno County declined to specify any liability the company might face.
Past breaches in the area underscore the concern. An old gravel pit on Milburn Avenue was breached in the 1990s, and a 2005 breach at Sycamore Island cost taxpayers $4.5 million, according to San Joaquin River Conservancy CEO Kari Daniska. A Bay Area site experienced a breach in 2023, and a 200‑foot‑deep German gravel mine was overtaken by floodwaters in 2021, creating a canyon that swallowed homes.
What’s next: The Fresno County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to vote on CEMEX’s permit request on Thursday. Residents and interested parties are encouraged to submit comments to the county before the meeting.
Sources: fresnochamber.com, fresnoland.org, fresnoland.org
