The Delta Smelt; a Fish More Important Than PeopleEssay Preview: The Delta Smelt; a Fish More Important Than PeopleReport this essayThe Delta smelt; a fish more important than people.Many farmers are loosing water over a little fish. In this community the main job that most people have is farming. The recent restrictions on water flow from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta caused this devastation and thus prevented farmers from watering their crops. The Endangered Species Act prohibits the government from doing anything that jeopardizes the continued existence of endangered or threatened species, and it forbids any government agency, corporation or citizen from harming, harassing or killing endangered animals without a permit.
The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, a connection of several rivers and streams in northern California, sits east of the San Francisco Bay and south of Sacramento. The Delta includes over “1,100 miles of levees” that protect “about 57 islands” (U.S. 1). The Deltas unique value provides water for the whole state of California and the U.S. Geological Survey, an unbiased science organization, claims the Delta as the “heart of a north-to-south water delivery system” (U.S. 2). Since 1850, engineers shaped and reformed the Delta into vast channels and levees for farmers to benefit from this natural resource
However, within the past three years, the restrictions on pumping the water to farmers increased due to environmental causes, such as a decrease in the Delta smelt fish numbers. In 2007, the California Fish and Game Commission declared the longfin smelt an endangered species and a federal judge made the decision that the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta must reduce its pumping by thirty-percent in order to protect the fish. These two-inch-long fish caused a controversy that led to the cutback of water deliveries, adding up to a million acre-feet of water for two-thirds of Californias people (Part 2 of Hannity).
The Department of Fish and Game argued for the protection of the smelt since, according to the Center for Biological Diversity, the fish near extinction because the 2008 survey resulted the lowest in forty-two years of surveys. The “once-abundant” (Longfin) fish species “are in critical condition” – close to extinction – due to pollution, “record- high water diversions” (Longfin), and “harmful nonnative species that thrive in degraded the Delta habitat. The effects of this extinction caused a ripple effect, “formally abundant species at the base of the food chain are being driven to extinction, Central Valley salmon have been crippled, and the endangered population of the West Coast killer whales has been affected,” says Jeff Miller, a conservation advocate with the Center for Biological Diversity (qtd. in Longfin).
According to some scientists, from the Center for Biological Diversity, the smelts extinction encompasses a big issue as it affects other species and the rest of the ecosystem. However, the importance of continuing the water flow to farmers to keep the crops producing for the world becomes a greater priority. The agricultural industry makes a huge impact on the whole world. Daily, the world enjoys dinner meals on the table produced by the farmers. My grandfather taught me the importance of the contribution of agriculture: the agriculture industry provides food for millions of people in the state, in our country, and throughout the world. However, the world would not have food if there were not a supply of water to irrigate the crops. The cutbacks on water will decrease the supply of food, and therefore create a shortage.
This years drought significantly affected Californias economy. According to Californias Department of Food and Agriculture, “As of July 11, 2008, California has lost $245 million in crop losses, with Fresno County suffering the largest amount at $73.5 million and Kern at $69.5 million in losses.” Every dollar generated in agriculture brings about four dollars in all related industries such as transportation and processing. Since 2001, the number of farms in California decreased from 81,000 acres to 75,000 acres. With the decrease in crop acreage, less food contributes to the food supply and, consequently, the food becomes more expensive.
The shortage of water angered many people as it took away their food and jobs. In March of 2009, farmers, congressmen, and those involved in the agriculture industry started the “March for Water” rallies that protested the cutbacks and reduction of pumping water. One of the rallies welcomed Sean Hannity, a talk show host for his own show, the “Hannity Show” on Fox News. Although Hannity did not grow up in an agriculture area, he supports the March for Water with other conservatives like him. He broadcasted a water rally held in Huron, CA, on the Westside of the Central Valley. Hannity made the rally a special TV program titled “The Valley Hope Forgot.”
Before the water demonstration, the San Jose Water and Sewerage Department cut water service within the basin to keep more of the water supply. The company says it will use more water to reduce waterborne diseases, save about half of the water supply in the valley, and use 50 milliliters per day to replace it. In addition, the company says it has reduced its water consumption as it fills pumps and pumps are no longer available. San Jose Water & Sewerage Department Press Release, Dec 19, 2009:
Today’s water demonstration brings together several environmental, resource, and economic stakeholders to make a stand in support of climate action to protect our drinking water supply from rising levels of pollution from human activities. Through our partnership with the California Water and Sewerage Department and the California Water Foundation, we are partnering to raise awareness of this problem and, if we can accomplish it, we face the challenge of finding a more effective way to protect our precious groundwater, especially in California’s most sensitive watershed and, if we can meet our goal of limiting the amount of water needed in our drinking water system for future generations, we face the opportunity of stopping the rising water bill, saving lives, and creating a safer, cleaner environment.
To commemorate our contributions to environmental protection, our program partners the Bay Area Water Initiative and the California Water Foundation. With millions of people in San Jose, the San Jose Water Development Association and the California Water Foundation, which collectively provide an estimated 700,000 water-use permits per year, and tens of thousands of dollars of support for development of a sustainable, low-cost water system in the community, we are helping to preserve and enhance California’s natural and human resources for future generations. With millions of California’s voters and more than one billion residents, California has the largest and most resource-rich economy in the country. During this campaign the Bay Area Water Initiative has received $55 million in support, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign donations. With millions of our people and business members pouring into these activities, no political party has much more importance to public trust in California than California Water.
We believe that the next step is to create a more responsible, environmentally sound and well-managed system for our water system, one that is able to produce as much energy and clean water as possible in a highly economical and responsible manner in all our communities. Our actions and actions as leaders of the Bay Area Water Initiative, as the Bay Area Water Association and as the California Water Foundation, create many opportunities for the communities in this region to gain an