The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is an important aquatic ecosystem that provides water to millions of Californians and delivers water to many acres of agricultural land. It is a place where thousands of people call home and generates numerous amounts of jobs and money to the state of California. It is home to more than 750 species of plants and wildlife and over 55 species of fish . Many of the Delta’s native fish populations have been declining for several years which have sparked controversy between policymakers and the management of the Delta. One native fish in particular focus is the delta smelt.
The delta smelt, a small iridescent fish is endemic to the upper part of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The smelt faces many threats such as getting sucked up into big pumps that divert water or threats like getting trapped by predators when the pumps disrupt the river flow. California’s droughts also make freshwater rare and water diversion causing the delta smelts environment to be too salty. The delta smelt was considered an endangered species by the Department of Fish and Game in December 1993 and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in March of 1993 . The delta smelt has been in decline, by …show more content…
When there are high flow rates of diversion, the smelt larvae and juveniles get very disoriented. The Delta contains many of water diversions but the most influential to the smelt is the great big pumps of the Central Valley Project, which is located in the southern part of the Delta. When there are high transfers and low inflows, the Delta can create reverse flows, which can in turn carry the smelt and eggs toward the pumps . Being protected under the Endangered Species Act, a federal court order has reduced pumping to farmers and southern cities. But even this kid of protection still isn’t