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From Dan Bacher
Delta Pumping A Key Factor Behind Salmon and Killer Whale Declines
by Dan Bacher February 15, 2009 -- Increases in freshwater exports
out of the California Delta, the operation of Shasta Dam and other inland
habitat problems have not only led to the collapse of Central Valley
salmon populations, but also threaten the southern resident killer whale
population. These were the conclusions of National Marine
Fisheries Service scientists disclosed during a frank discussion of the
recently released rewritten draft biological opinion on the impacts of the
state and federal water projects during a meeting in Sacramento with
representatives of fishing and environmental groups. The NMFS opinion
currently concludes "jeopardy" for winter run chinook salmon, spring run
chinook salmons, green sturgeon and the southern resident killer whale
species. As a result of litigation by NRDC, Earthjustice and
fishing groups, a federal judge ruled that the previous biological opinion
violated the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The court ordered the agency
directed to issue a new opinion by March of 2009 - and the draft opinion
was released in December 2008. The Opinion also concludes the
water projects would likely result in the "adverse modification" or
"destruction of critical habitat for the three salmon species." Jeopardy
and adverse modifications indicate that the Operating Criteria and Plan
(OCAP) process cannot move forward as planned.
(Continued from page one)...
Their conclusion that increased water exports play a key role in the
decline of salmon, sturgeon and killer whales is in direct contrast to the
politically motivated claims by the Bush and Schwarzenegger
administrations last year that "ocean conditions" caused the collapse.
Staggering losses of salmon and steelhead smolts take place in the
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, according to the scientists. Indirect losses
in the Central Delta were found to be far more significant than losses
from direct entrainment at the state and federal pumps on the South Delta.
When the cross channel gates on the Sacramento River in the North Delta
are open, 65% of the juveniles perish as they are drawn into the Delta
interior. When the gates are closed, more than 50% survive. At the
pumps themselves, only 16.5% of the juveniles survive at the state
facility operated by the Department of Water Resources and only 35%
survive at the federal pumps operated by the Bureau of Reclamation. Once
fish are pulled into Clifton Court Forebay, nearly all of them are lost.
The net total loss in the Delta is approximately 60% of the fish entering
the system. This number does not include those lost prior to getting to
the Delta. Another alarming conclusion of the biologists is that
"endangered steelhead survival out of the San Joaquin is near zero," with
flows and predation being major problems. Much of the mortality by the
San Joaquin out migrants is caused by the negative flows in Old and Middle
rivers. Fish are unable to move to the North Delta because of these
southward moving "reverse" flows. The scenario portrayed by the
scientists is very similar to that revealed by Frank Fisher, a now retired
DFG fishery biologist, when he documented in 1991-92 the direct
correlation between the increase in Delta exports and the decline of
Sacramento River salmon. He documented a "Black Hole of Death" that
occurred to migrating salmon smolts in the Delta, due to reverse flows,
stranding and entrainment of fish in the pumps caused by increased water
exports. Considered a "maverick" at the time, Fisher's data and
conclusions have been vindicated by the draft biological opinion.
Overall, when the Sacramento River survival of 20% is combined with the
Delta survival of 40%, only 8% of the smolts make it to the West Delta!
The biological opinion also documents the major contribution of high
water temperatures on the Upper Sacramento to spawning and egg mortality,
as well as the staggering loss of juveniles - 80 percent - between Red
Bluff and the Delta. Not only do Delta exports hurt salmon,
steelhead and sturgeon populations, but they are driving the southern
resident population of killer whales to the edge of extinction. Less than
90 whales are left in a population that depends heavily upon Sacramento
River spring, fall and winter run chinook salmon for forage. If the salmon
go extinct, so will the killer whales (orcas). Zeke Grader,
executive director of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's
Associations, emphasized that the plight of the killer whales posed by the
salmon collapse shows how both healthy hatchery and wild populations of
salmon must be increased. "The decline of the whales gives us a
strong basis to protect the Central Valley fall chinook run," noted
Grader. "The whales don't distinguish between wild and hatchery salmon or
between winter, spring and fall run fish. We should provide protection not
just to ESA listed species including winter run and spring salmon, but
also make sure that there is maximum hatchery fall fish production."
Orcas can grow to 32 feet in length and weigh as much as 18,000 pounds,
according to NMFS. The southern resident killer whales are the significant
population in the Northwest Region of the U.S. These whales are the
"resident" type, spending specific periods each year in the San Juan
Islands and Puget Sound, but also range along the California coast down to
Monterey. The southern residents feed mostly on salmon.
Scientists who participated in the meeting include Rod McInnis, the
Regional Director of NMFS, Maria Rea, the Sacramento Area Office
Supervisor of NMFS, Russ Strach, the Assistant Director of Protected
Species for NMFS, Churchill Grimes, the Director of Fisheries Ecology of
NMFS, Bruce McFarlane, Research Scientist for NMFS, Bruce Oppenheim,
Biologist for the Upper Sacramento NMFS office, Jeff Stuart, the NMFS
Biologist for the Delta, Chris Yates, Long Beach Protected Resources
Division of NMFS, John McCamman, Chief Deputy Director of the Calif.
Department of Fish and Game, Neil Manji, Chief of Fisheries for the DFG,
and Dan Castleberry, Regional Fisheries Program Manager, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service. The conclusions of the federal scientists are
backed up by the data and conclusions included in recently released
reports by the Natural Resources Defense Council, Environmental Defense
and California Trout. Yes, ocean conditions may be a factor in salmon and
steelhead declines, but it is Delta water exports, other water diversions
and freshwater habitat problems that have put salmon and steelhead
populations on the brink of extinction. President Obama has
pledged to break with the political manipulation of science practiced
under the previous administration. The frank and open discussion by NMFS
scientists about the causes of salmon, green sturgeon and killer whale
declines during the stakeholders meeting was a promising start.
The evidence of the role of Delta water exports and other freshwater
factors in the decline of salmon, green sturgeon and killer whales is
inescapable now - and it's time for the state and federal governments, in
cooperation with environmental groups, commercial fishing organizations,
recreational fishing groups and Indian Tribes - to begin the long road to
recovery. We must stop the attempt by the Department of Water
Resources and Bureau of Reclamation to suspend Endangered Species Act
protections for Delta smelt and legislation. We must also defeat
legislation by Congressman George Radanovich (R-Mariposa), H.R. 856, to
temporarily suspend the Endangered Species Act (ESA) as it applies to the
California pumping facilities during times of "drought" emergencies
declared by the Governor. And we must stop the campaign by Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger, Senator Dianne Feinstein and the Natural Conservancy to
build a peripheral canal and more dams!
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