National Drought Mitigation Center
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National Drought Mitigation Center
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Only one Delta smelt found in survey of California's Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta
4/24/2015 12:04:47 PM


CATEGORIES:
Plants & Wildlife
Relief, Response & Restrictions
Water Supply & Quality
AFFECTED AREAS:
Alameda County, CA
Contra Costa County, CA
Marin County, CA
Napa County, CA
Sacramento County, CA
San Francisco County, CA
San Joaquin County, CA
San Mateo County, CA
Santa Clara County, CA
Solano County, CA
Sonoma County, CA

Start Date: 3/1/2015 - End Date: 4/15/2015
The March trawl survey for adult smelt conducted by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife found only four females and two males in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The April survey turned up just one fish. Counts of longfin smelt had also fallen to record lows. Early in April, the State Water Resources Board chose to limit Sierra runoff to the estuary, due to drought, depriving fish of the cold, fresh water that enhances survival. Among the threats to the smelt are water being pumped from the delta, increased salinity in the fall, improved water clarity in the summer and fall and competition and predation from introduced species, according to California Fish and Wildlife. San Jose Mercury News (Calif.), April 15, 2015
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