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Delta Environmental Problems

Submitted By
Words 1393
Pages 6
Inez Gonzalez
Instructor: Dr. John Freytag
Oceanography 101
November 4, 2015
San Francisco Bay Delta Issues
1.) Environmental problems and societal/political issues that impact delta:
• Water Quality: Delta water can raise health problems (if used for drinking water)
• Striped Bass: Decline in striped bass because of water (decline)
• Decline of fish: Specifically Delta Smelt because of water supply and toxic algae (affects fish)
• Clam infestation: removing food from water (that fish need)
• Pollution: Toxic water (drinking water, fish population, toxic algae
• Cut water deliveries: Causes ecological crisis
• Long fin Smelt: Considered for protection because of decline of reproduction (specially no spawn of long fin smelt)
• Water officials …show more content…
Considering the other fish species besides salmon have been hauled out over to the areas in order to survive, what if that were to happen year around for all the other incoming fish? The idea of moving all the fish into different areas would create, most likely an unrealistic solution because of time consumption and money (considering it cost about $800,000) but in continuing the relief efforts of incoming fish young, it would drastically help their ecosystem, but also benefit those of fisheries, which creates an ongoing cycle that, like mentioned, is beneficial to all aspects on life, and in trying to alleviate at least one problem of the delta.

B. Delta out of sight, out of mine for many
This article by Mike Taugher, discusses the deteriorating health of the Delta, which includes lack of game, timber, and tidal sloughs that have ultimately changed the physical structure of the Delta since the Gold Rush. The levees were built in the 1800’s but overtime the levees got higher, and the dry landed subsided, and are now nearly 60 sunken ‘island’ in the Delta. It’s considered to be the heart of a circulation that moves water from Northern California to the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California. It brings in water to 7 million acres of agricultural land in the San Joaquin valley and is severely essential to the states ($27 billion) farm industry. It also supplies the drinking water for 23 millions of California, and ultimately the sole source of tap

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