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Delta is the concern of all, says editorial

Posted by: Maven on July 16, 2009 at 8:36 am

From Stockton’s Record, this editorial:

We’ve all seen the signs on the curb near storm drains warning against allowing toxins into the drain. Those signs probably should be larger and in bright red letters.

A new study led by a UC Berkeley toxicologist found that pyrethroid pesticides – common in household pesticides – in the American River are strong enough to kill tiny shrimp called Hyalella azteca. And those shrimp are a vital first link in the food chain of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta ecosystem.

Researchers have hunted the cause of the collapse of the Delta’s ecosystem for five years. That collapse is thought to be behind the decline in nine fish species, including the tiny Delta smelt.

Researcher Donald Weston said studies support the theory that there is no one cause of the problem, but pesticides reaching the American River through storm drains is putting huge amounts of pesticides in the system. The American River twists through a 30 mile, highly urbanized region that is home to some 1.4 million people. From there the pesticides enter the Sacramento River, thence to the Delta, the state’s largest estuary and the water supply for some 23 million Californians.

Read more from the Record by clicking here.

July 16, 2009 · Filed Under Delta Issues

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