Delta Smelt Extinction Declaration

This was on the Sacramento NPR news station. Dr Peter Moyle freshwater fisheries expert from UCD declares delta smelt may be extinct.

http://www.capradio.org/articles/2015/03/16/endangered-delta-smelt-may-be-extinct/


 As a sentinel species of concern in the Delta, the loss of the smelt is a significant event that indicates how serious the problems of limited water and a growing population are in California.  Water diversions, introduced species, pollution, altered habitat and drought are the culprits in a state where there are too many user groups for a limited resource. It will be interesting to see how water management in the delta will change if/when the smelt are officially declared extinct...  You can almost hear that giant sucking sound as northern California waters are drawn south.

Well if two tunnels are good then three must be better. Delta smelt seem to be the only concern. Pump away Jerry!!  We don't need fresh water to feed the rest of the country.

Drought plan initiated........turn on the pumps! 

There is still longfin smelt, Sacramento splittail,  sacramento perch, sacramento tule perch....

There is still longfin smelt, Sacramento splittail,  sacramento perch, sacramento tule perch....

  All the factors I mentioned are at work on these species as well. Long fin smelt numbers are low, Sacramento perch do not exist in their natural habit, splittail numbers have declined and tule perch numbers continue to drop as well... no fish no problem!

How long before they blame it on stripers again. Even though they were introduced 100 years or so ago.

There is still longfin smelt, Sacramento splittail,  sacramento perch, sacramento tule perch....

If it was only that simple ...

If it was only that simple indeed!.  Stripers are part of the problem even though they were introduced in the 1870's same with black bass catfish, bluegills, crappie, all predatory by nature.  The blame cannot be laid solely on introduced fish species. There are other introduced organisms that have also contributed to the loss on native fish in the delta. Introductions of alien/nonnative aquatic plants and algae, and plankton/copepods have had an impact. But there is still a lot of blame to go around. Loss of floodplain habitat occurred when levees were constructed, reduced flows from dams and water diversions to the south, hydraulic gold mining in the foothills brought tremendous amounts of silt and debris into the delta system. Chemical inputs...fertilizers and pesticides, urban runoff, sewage etc have impacts.  Each one of these components  has had a huge negative impact in the over health of the delta. When these factors are combined the impact is so great that the delta we know and experience today is nothing like the delta 50 years ago .  We have managed to change the flora and fauna, the chemistry, and the physical aspects of the delta to such an extent that the native species that evolved in the natural delta prior to the western expansion of the US are no longer able to adapt to these changes in their environment. We are now seeing the results of these changes, the loss and extinction of our native fishes, delta smelt, Sacramento perch, tule perch, longfin smelt and splittail.
 The question now is what will the delta look like in 5, 10 or 50 years? Will there be salmon and steelhead, green and white sturgeons? What about the stripers and black bass?
 Time to get off the soap box and get to work, thank you for your time and thoughts on these matters
Cheers <;{{{=<