This past Sunday the COntra Costa Times ran a feature article: 'Environmental sirens in Delta are screaming' With the recent posts about the lack of fishing success on the American I found this article alarming.
The opening sentence will give you an idea of the article's tone. "The Delta's open-water fish populations are mysteriously collapsing in a crisis that threatens to unravel the food web of the West Coast's largest estuary."
"Delta populations of copepods are plummeting. The tiny organisms are the key food source for small fish, and their decline could damage the Delta food web."
Longfin smelt, Threadfin shad, striped bass...all are decling. What is causing this trend? There are plenty of "experts" trying to figure this out but a few culprits are mentioned. Toxins, yes those wonderful pesticides that are being used to eradicate invasive weeds/grasses and the Central Valley's use of toxins which drain into the Delta...Organic controls do work, but the corporate farming industry won't go that route. Invasive species are dramatically changing the Delta and finally Giant pumps at Byron and Tracy which move Delta waters to the Central Valley and Southern California...
CalFed has spent over $3 billion of our tax dollars in the past 10 years and some State water officials admit they can't fix the problem...What can be done? It would be political suicide to propose closing down ALL fishing for an extended period of time to let Mother/Father nature do its thing...You'll never get the farming conglomerates to change their ways and development!, well unless you stop people at the border from moving into California development will continue until there aren't any trees left on the planet.
The Delta is to valuable a waterway to let this get out-of-hand. Even though water flows are affecting the fishing on the American and other inland bodies, this cycle of declining marine life is probably going to continue...So, if anyone gets a chance to bend a politicians ear I suggest you do so! It's that or I'm moving to Oregon to be OregonSalmons neighbor. I can get used to electric fences!!!
Ranting done. Enjoy the rain!
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