▁F res no ▁Sl ough , ▁it ▁initially ▁served ▁to ▁di vert ▁water ▁into ▁the ▁Main ▁Canal , ▁an ▁ir rig ation ▁canal ▁for ▁the ▁rivers ide ▁bottom lands ▁in ▁the ▁San ▁Jo aqu in ▁Valley . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 1 , ▁M end ota ▁became ▁the ▁termin us ▁of ▁the ▁D elta - M end ota ▁Canal , ▁a ▁USB R ▁project ▁which ▁con ve ys ▁up ▁to ▁ ▁for ▁ ▁from ▁the ▁mouth ▁of ▁the ▁Sac r amento ▁River ▁to ▁the ▁usually ▁dry ▁San ▁Jo aqu in ▁at ▁that ▁point . ▁Water ▁from ▁M end ota ▁is ▁distributed ▁in ▁two ▁directions : ▁released ▁into ▁the ▁San ▁Jo aqu in ▁for ▁down stream ▁divers ions ▁at ▁the ▁S ack ▁Dam , ▁another ▁small ▁di version ▁dam ; ▁and ▁into ▁F res no ▁Sl ough ▁during ▁the ▁dry ▁season , ▁when ▁no ▁water ▁is ▁flow ing ▁in ▁from ▁the ▁Kings ▁River . ▁The ▁latter ▁sends ▁water ▁into ▁the ▁Tul are ▁Bas in ▁through ▁the ▁natural ▁channel ▁of ▁the ▁sl ough , ▁which ▁in ▁ess ence ▁con ve ys ▁water ▁in ▁either ▁direction ▁depending ▁on ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁year ▁– ▁north ▁into ▁the ▁San ▁Jo aqu in ▁during ▁the ▁ra iny ▁season , ▁south ▁into ▁the ▁Tul are ▁during ▁the ▁dry ▁months . ▁ ▁East side ▁B yp ass ▁ ▁Even ▁with ▁the ▁presence ▁of ▁Fri ant ▁and ▁numerous ▁other ▁flo od ▁control ▁d ams , ▁large ▁flo ods ▁still ▁caused ▁significant ▁damage ▁along ▁the ▁San ▁Jo aqu in ▁River ▁all ▁the