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Delta should be more than a name to Stocktonians By Jeremy Terhune & Kelly Catlett, Defenders of Wildlife
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tockton is a place surrounded by water. With the Sacramento and Mokelumne Rivers to the north, the San Joaquin River to the south, and the Calaveras River running through its heart, Stockton is perched at the headwaters of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, where the two mighty rivers drain 40% of the lands in California. Yet half of Stockton’s residents are unsure, or have absolutely no idea where the Delta is! The Delta is many different things to many different people: drinking water, irrigation water, wildlife habitat, and recreation, among them. And now, —after decades of competing uses— the Delta is in jeopardy of not meeting any of the competing uses. Many factors have contributed to this decline. Agricultural, industrial, and urban run-off has polluted the waters; invasive, nonnative species disrupt the food chain and prey upon native fish; urban development has destroyed habitat; and increased water exports have taken more and more fresh water out of the system, causing saltwater to intrude.
How will we be affected?
interests working together to create a conservation plan that will be implemented over the next 50 years and serve as the basis for operating permits for the pumps that withdraw water from the Delta. In the coming weeks, Governor Jerry Brown is expected to unveil his framework for protecting the Delta. Advocates for a restored Delta have been urging the Governor to ensure that the framework includes a determination of water flows required to restore the Delta as well as a control of the effects of planned projects on both the Delta itself and the fisheries it supports. Further, advocates contend the plan should also ensure that the best available science drives the plan and that the appropriate state and federal fish and wildlife agencies are in charge of implementing it with input from all stakeholders. The Delta is a natural treasure. With the proper investments and vision, the framework for the Bay-Delta Conservation Plan can set California on a path to protect, restore and preserve one of the most unique and important places in the Americas.
In addition to the immeasurable effect on migratory birds and the more than 500 fish and wildlife species that depend on its ecosystem, the Delta plays an important role in the lives of Californians. Approximately half a million people live in the Delta, most in the cities of Stockton, Sacramento, and West Sacramento. Water taken from the Delta irrigates 4.5 million acres of farm land and is a source of drinking water for an estimated 22 million Californians. The Delta is also a popular recreation spot for boaters, jet skiers, fishermen, and others. Most Delta stakeholders agree that the status quo is unsustainable and that we need to take better care of the Delta. How best to do that remains a point of disagreement. The current effort to fix the Delta and make it more sustainable is the Bay-Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP). The BDCP is comprised of water agencies, environmental groups, state and federal agencies, and other SEPTEMBER 2012 Joaquín 7