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Small fish causes big problems in the delta

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on May 31, 2009 at 6:40 am

From the Santa Clarita Signal:

A small fish native to the Sacramento Delta is causing water restrictions and driving state water-project officials crazy.

The delta smelt is endemic to the Sacramento Delta. The fish, which measures about 3 inches in length, makes its home in the same place from which a large portion of the state draws its water supply, said Dan Masnada, Castaic Lake Water Agency general manager.

The smelt lives at the bottom of the food chain in the delta where they wield a lot of influence over water policy in the state, Masnada said. “They are the canary in the coal mine for the delta,” he said. “If that species goes extinct, people question whether it’s the domino that takes down the other species.”

Besides being a major food source for other fish, the smelt also provide a measure of the health of the ecosystem, said John Beuttler, Conservation Director for the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance.

Read more from the Santa Clarita Signal by clicking here.

May 31, 2009 · Filed Under Delta smelt

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