Smelt key to a thriving ecosystem
By Ann Thomas
Why should you care if a six centimeter-long fish in the Delta is now listed as threatened under the Federal Endangered Species Act?
Well, your drinking water could depend on it.
The Delta smelt, a fish species endemic to the San Francisco Bay and San Joaquin-Sacramento Delta, is of great importance to the Delta ecosystem. Not only do many other species depend on it, but their presence signifies a healthy Delta ecosystem.
The livelihood of fishermen and the economy of the Delta are dependent upon its health and, therefore, upon the health of this fish.
The smelt's declining population can be attributed to the large water pumps near the San Joaquin Rivers. These straw-like mechanisms suck water from the Delta up and over hills and southbound to the water-thirsty agricultural industries and residents of Southern California.
The pumps are so strong that they actually change the direction of the river's current, negatively impacting the smelt.
The immense amount of fresh water diverted from the Delta also means that the salinity of the water changes. When fresh water is pumped out of the Delta, salty water from the San Francisco Bay replaces it. This is harmful to the smelt's life cycle because they depend on the mixture of salt water and fresh water for breeding.
If you are still not convinced that you should care about the fate of these small fish, here are some more reasons.
First, the demise of these fish is representative of the impact of the water conflict in California and the 22 million California residents that depend on the water that flows through the Sacramento Delta.
Pumping the majority of Northern California's water through large pumps and over hills and hundreds of kilometers is not sustainable, requires lots of resources and negatively impacts the environment.
Also, we at Santa Clara should care because we are dependent on water from the Delta for our drinking water. It is our responsibility to be conscious and engaged in the management and distribution of our water.
So what can we do to act as stewards of an environment which we directly impact on a daily basis?
On a small-scale level, we can conserve the Delta's resources by rethinking and altering our lifestyle choices. We can use less water, take shorter showers, use low-flush toilets, let it mellow when it's yellow (yes, I'm referring to that lame riddle you learned in fifth grade outdoor camp), etc.
There are also large-scale initiatives, like implementing efficient irrigation systems or recycled water programs in cities and counties that will help protect the Delta ecosystem.
We must reduce our water consumption out of necessity, respect for the environment and so that water conflicts in California do not continue to escalate.
Unfortunately, it is not students and professors like you and me that will have the most impact in changing our habits.
It is the highly consumptive agricultural industries that often only pay a flat monthly rate for their water bills, giving them little incentive to reduce their usage, which have the most impact on the Delta. To address this, the local, state and federal governments need to pass legislation mandating more efficient water use and monitoring. As active, educated and conscientious citizens, we must support public policy bills that advocate sustainable use of our water resources.
Not only does the fate of the Delta smelt depend on our actions to conserve water, but the millions of others in California that depend on this precious resource. It is our duty to critically analyze the allocation of water throughout California.
We need to change the way we think about water and focus on the impact of our daily actions on the environment and surrounding communities that sustain us.
Ann Thomas is a senior political science and environmental science double major.