Levee project threatens landmark giant Valley oak near airport - Sacramento, CA

Levee project threatens landmark giant Valley oak near airport - Home and Garden - sacbee.com:
For centuries, this majestic Valley oak has stood guard near the banks of the Sacramento River. But its days appear numbered.

Maidu Indians gathered its acorns and camped within steps of its trunk. Settlers in the 1800s built a house and water tower in its shadow. In recent years, farmworkers rested in its abundant shade.

Among thousands of great trees along Garden Highway, this particular specimen stands out. At 102 feet tall with a canopy to match, it's much taller, wider and older than its neighbors. Its trunk measures more than 7 1/2 feet across – perhaps making it a record breaker.

Its survival is threatened, though, by a levee improvement project along the Sacramento River.