california condor Eben McMillan 25 JUNE 1964 From where we stood looking into the Sespe gorge it was plain to see how critical to Condor welfare the proposed Topa Topa Dam on the Sespe river will become should this planned water impoundment become a reality. The Damsite itself is proposed for the area near this angle in the Sespe river that is like the hub of a wheel for the navigation of birds that travel the lower reaches of this river and its drainage canyons. Condor flying the Sespe river Canyon, the alder Creeks drainage or the Coldwater creek or its drainage, would have to pass over or to the sides of this Dam. There is simply no doubt but that the construction of this dam would seriously effect the remaining Condor population. Anything that would increase the human usage of this area from that which now exists could tip the balance against Condor that would crowd them out of our faunal picture. A newly repaired road that runs into the Sweetwater area of the Sespe river and was only opened in 1963, according to Ranger Parkinson in our discussion yesterday, to hunting and camping by automobile, for the general public, could have effected Condor numbers already. It is impossible shooting in this area would be very damaging to Condor movement through this vital flightway. A road way that was opened in 1961 to the hunting public, that allows them to travel from Chief Peak to Whines peak and Red Reef Trails, was a bad move. This opened an area that,