WALNUT GROVE (CBS13) – A historic Walnut Grove landmark is joining in the fight to keep water in the Delta.

The Grand Island Mansion is backing a group trying to stop the governor’s plan of moving water out of our area.

It was as simple as seeing a need. So the Grand Island Mansion, sitting along the Delta, responded.

“We wanted to be involved and decided to be involved instead of just sitting in the back,” said Rick Francis, general manager of the Grand Island Mansion.

The mansion is throwing its support behind a local nonprofit, Restore the Delta, by hosting an annual fundraiser.

“Their support is absolutely phenomenal for this project,” said Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, Restore The Delta executive director.

The grassroots effort is dedicated to keeping Delta water here.

“A great deal of water is pumped out of the Delta, which has altered the ecosystem and it’s had impact on Delta communities,” said Barrigan-Parrilla.

The group is against Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposal to build a two tunnel system and divert water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to Southern California.

“A river is never been made healthy by having its water taken away from it,” she said.

Barrigan-Parrilla says the local economic impact of the governor’s project would be devastating.

“The health of the river is the health of the region,” she said.

The fundraiser event at the mansion will raise an estimated $100,000 and will go toward distributing a documentary project aimed at educating Californians of the potential impact. They just hope it works before it’s too late.

“We are one of the largest employers in this area and we’ll support the community. We know how important this is to our community,” said Francis.

Construction on the governor’s plan could start in 2017 and be completed by 2026.