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Center for Biological Diversity: Report finds Delta water pumping restrictions to protect fish “scientifically justified”

Posted by: Maven on March 19, 2010 at 1:08 pm

From the Center for Biological Diversity, this press release:

“SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.— The National Academy of Sciences today released a peer-review report that validates recent federal “biological opinions” and federal actions, particularly seasonal reductions in water pumping, to protect endangered fish species in the San Francisco Bay-Delta.

“The Academy of Sciences report confirms that the best available scientific information demonstrates that unsustainable water diversions are a major factor driving salmon and other native fish in the Delta to extinction, and that restrictions on excessive pumping mandated by the Endangered Species Act are justified and necessary,” said Jeff Miller, conservation advocate with the Center for Biological Diversity. “It is past time to restore sufficient flows to ensure the health of the Bay-Delta ecosystem.”

In 2008 and 2009, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service issued biological opinions under the Endangered Species Act that required reduced water diversions from the Delta to prevent the extinction of delta smelt, Central Valley chinook salmon and steelhead, and green sturgeon. To keep the record amounts of subsidized water flowing, agricultural interests filed litigation, lobbied Congress, spread disinformation about the economic impacts of the restrictions, and attempted to downplay the effects of massive water diversions. Despite the biological opinions undergoing five peer reviews to ensure that they were based on the best available science, Senator Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., pushed for additional review, and Congress and the Interior Department asked the National Academy of Sciences to provide a further scientific evaluation of the actions in the biological opinions.

“With the smallest return of fall-run salmon ever recorded in the Sacramento River, it is now more clear than ever that we need to restore and maintain flows to the Delta,” said Miller. “The National Academy of Sciences report confirms that freshwater flows are essential to endangered fish, the fishing jobs dependent upon healthy salmon runs, and the whole ecosystem.” … “

Continue reading this press release from the Center for Biological Diversity by clicking here.

March 19, 2010 · Filed Under Delta Issues

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