August 28, 1979 County planners were trying to save a 16 mile stretch of the San Diego River from becoming developed. In 1979 the area between Padre Dam Park and El Capitan Reservoir was mostly park space and used for recreation. They were asking for 200,000 to make a master plan and keep it from becoming developed “helter skelter” like Mission Valley. Shirley Clum said they want to keep some of it exactly as it is—green, calm, peaceful, isolated, and beautiful.