▁way ▁through ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 5 0 s . ▁The ▁passage ▁of ▁the ▁Flo od ▁Control ▁Act ▁of ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁included ▁prov isions ▁for ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁a ▁le vee ▁system ▁along ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁San ▁Jo aqu in ▁River , ▁but ▁valley ▁far mers ▁were ▁not ▁entirely ▁satisfied . ▁After ▁years ▁of ▁lo bb ying , ▁far mers ▁convinced ▁the ▁state ▁government ▁to ▁author ize ▁a ▁massive ▁flo od - control ▁system ▁of ▁di version ▁channels ▁and ▁le ve es ▁whose ▁main ▁component ▁is ▁the ▁East side ▁B yp ass , ▁so ▁named ▁because ▁of ▁its ▁location ▁east ▁of ▁and ▁parallel ▁to ▁the ▁San ▁Jo aqu in . ▁Gr ound bre aking ▁of ▁the ▁huge ▁project ▁was ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 9 ▁and ▁construction ▁was ▁finished ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 6 . ▁ ▁The ▁by pass ▁system ▁starts ▁with ▁the ▁Ch ow ch illa ▁Canal ▁B yp ass , ▁which ▁can ▁di vert ▁up ▁to ▁ ▁off ▁the ▁San ▁Jo aqu in , ▁a ▁few ▁miles ▁above ▁M end ota . ▁After ▁intercept ing ▁the ▁flow ▁of ▁the ▁F res no ▁River , ▁the ▁system ▁is ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁East side ▁B yp ass , ▁which ▁runs ▁north west , ▁crossing ▁numerous ▁trib ut aries : ▁Ber enda ▁and ▁Ash ▁Sl ough s , ▁the ▁Ch ow ch illa ▁River , ▁O w ens ▁Creek ▁and ▁Bear ▁Creek . ▁Near ▁the ▁termin us , ▁the ▁by pass ▁channel ▁has ▁a ▁capacity ▁of ▁roughly ▁. ▁The