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Peter Moyle, John Durand and William Bennett: Change needed for better Delta ecosystem

Posted by: Maven on May 8, 2009 at 8:12 am

From the Sacramento Bee, this commentary:

The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is changing, and the pace of change is accelerating. While the ecosystem still contains an abundance of fish, invertebrates and plants, many are undesirable species that were not around a few decades ago. In the near future, we can expect to see even more dramatic change. We can either fight it at great expense – and lose – or figure out how to make change work in our favor.

Most big decisions for the Delta today are made in reaction to lawsuits, levee breaks and droughts, often to prevent change. We think it is possible to break this cycle of reactive management by understanding the Delta’s history. Understanding the past makes possible reasonable predictions of the future, allowing a more proactive approach to managing the Delta and its ecosystem.

The Delta began as a vast freshwater tidal wetland, intimately connected to its inflowing rivers and their floodplains, as well as to saltier parts of the San Francisco Estuary downstream. Starting in the mid-19th century, the Delta was altered by blocking off floodplains with levees, creating Delta islands through diking and draining marshlands, and diverting water upstream.

Then, dozens of dams were built for irrigation and urban water supply. At the same time, myriad non- native species invaded the region. The native fish were left to survive in barren rock-lined channels and tiny bits of floodplain and marsh habitat.

Given the extent of the transformation, it is a miracle that only two native fish species were driven to extinction, with most species remaining fairly common until recently.

Read more from the Sacramento Bee by clicking here.

May 8, 2009 · Filed Under Delta Issues

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