Our Vision for the California Delta

Delta Vision Blue Ribbon Task Force (Delta Vision) | March 19th, 2008

Executive Order S-17-06, directed us to “develop a durable vision for sustainable management of the Delta” with the goal of “...managing the Delta over the long te

Executive Order S-17-06, directed us to “develop a durable vision for sustainable management of the Delta” with the goal of “...managing the Delta over the long term to restore and maintain identified functions and values that are determined to be important to the environmental quality of the Delta and the economic and social well being of the people of the state.” The executive order calls for our vision to be completed by January 1, 2008 and a strategic plan by November 2008.

Pacific Coast Salmon Fishery Management Plan

Pacific Fishery Management Council | March 1st, 2016

Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations et al v. Wilbur Ross et al

U.S. District Court, Northern District of California | December 12th, 2019

Pared-Down Water Plan to Be Submitted in 1987

Los Angeles Times | June 17th, 1985

SACRAMENTO — Gov. George Deukmejian’s Administration is preparing to submit a new water package to the Legislature in 1987, a stripped-down version of the plan that f

SACRAMENTO — Gov. George Deukmejian’s Administration is preparing to submit a new water package to the Legislature in 1987, a stripped-down version of the plan that failed in 1984, according to David N. Kennedy, director of the state Department of Water Resources. The plan, contingent on Deukmejian’s reelection next year, would reverse the position the governor took after the stinging rebuke of a year ago, when he blamed Democratic lawmakers for the defeat. He said then that it would be up to the Legislature to produce an acceptable plan for supplying the state’s water needs. But now the Administration is once again gearing up to take the initiative on the water issue. The package would contain three key elements: - Authorization for $300 million in Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta projects needed to ship additional surplus water south. - A commitment to help maintain and restore deteriorating delta levees. - Environmental protections for San Francisco Bay.

Passage of fiproles and imidacloprid from urban pest control uses through wastewater treatment plants in northern California, USA

Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) | November 3rd, 2017

Urban pest control insecticides—specifically fipronil and its 4 major degradates (fipronil sulfone, sulfide, desulfinyl, and amide), as well as imidacloprid—were moni

Urban pest control insecticides—specifically fipronil and its 4 major degradates (fipronil sulfone, sulfide, desulfinyl, and amide), as well as imidacloprid—were monitored during drought conditions in 8 San Francisco Bay (San Francisco, CA, USA) wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). In influent and effluent, ubiquitous detections were obtained in units of ng/L for fipronil (13–88 ng/L), fipronil sulfone (1–28 ng/L), fipronil sulfide (1–5 ng/L), and imidacloprid (58–306 ng/L). Partitioning was also investigated; in influent, 100% of imidacloprid and 62 ± 9% of total fiproles (fipronil and degradates) were present in the dissolved state, with the balance being bound to filter‐removable particulates. Targeted insecticides persisted during wastewater treatment, regardless of treatment technology utilized (imidacloprid: 93 ± 17%; total fiproles: 65 ± 11% remaining), with partitioning into sludge (3.7–151.1 μg/kg dry wt as fipronil) accounting for minor losses of total fiproles entering WWTPs. The load of total fiproles was fairly consistent across the facilities but fiprole speciation varied. This first regional study on fiprole and imidacloprid occurrences in raw and treated California sewage revealed ubiquity and marked persistence to conventional treatment of both phenylpyrazole and neonicotinoid compounds. Flea and tick control agents for pets are identified as potential sources of pesticides in sewage meriting further investigation and inclusion in chemical‐specific risk assessments. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:1473–1482. © 2016 SETAC

Patterns in the use of a restored California floodplain by native and alien fishes

University of California, Davis (UC Davis) | July 7th, 2007

Fishes were sampled on the restored floodplain of the Cosumnes River in Central California in order to determine patterns of floodplain use. The floodplain was sampled fo

Fishes were sampled on the restored floodplain of the Cosumnes River in Central California in order to determine patterns of floodplain use. The floodplain was sampled for seven years (1998-2002, 2004-2005) during the winter-spring flooding season. The fishes fell into five groups: (1) floodplain spawners, (2) river spawners, (3) floodplain foragers, (4) floodplain pond fishes, and (5) inadvertent users. Eight of the 18 abundant species were natives, while the rest were aliens. There was a consistent pattern of floodplain use, modified by timing and extent of flooding. The first fishes to appear were floodplain foragers, inadvertent users, and juvenile Chinook salmon (river spawners). Next were floodplain spawners, principally Sacramento splittail and common carp. At the end of the season, in ponds of residual water, non-native annual fishes, mainly inland silverside and western mosquitofish, became abundant. Adult spawners left when inflow decreased; their juveniles persisted as long as flood pulses kept water levels up and temperatures low. Juvenile splittail and carp quickly grew large enough to dominate floodplain fish samples, along with smaller numbers of juvenile Sacramento sucker and pikeminnow (river spawners). Such juveniles left the Relatively few fishes that used the floodplain for spawning or rearing became stranded, except late season alien fishes. Most alien fishes had resident populations in adjacent river, sloughs, and ditches and were not dependent on the floodplain for persistence. This indicates that Central Valley floodplains managed to favor native fishes should have the following characteristics: (1) extensive early season flooding, (2) complete drainage by the end of the flooding season, (3) few areas with permanent water, (4) a mosaic of physical habitats, (5) regular annual flooding but with high variability in flood regime.

Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) in San Francisco Bay: Synthesis and Strategy

San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) | June 1st, 2018

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a broad class of fluorine-rich specialty chemicals. Some types of PFASs, and in particular the perfluoroalkyl f

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a broad class of fluorine-rich specialty chemicals. Some types of PFASs, and in particular the perfluoroalkyl forms, possess thermal stability, non-reactivity, and surfactant properties, making them useful for many different types of applications. More than 4,700 PFASs are used in consumer, commercial and industrial applications, including food packaging materials, waterproof textiles, stain-resistant carpets and furniture, fire-suppression foams, processing aids for the production of fluoropolymers like Teflon, mist suppressants in metal-plating, and hydraulic aviation fluids.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in San Francisco Bay wildlife: Temporal trends, exposure pathways, and notable presence of precursor compounds

Chemosphere (Elsevier) | April 21st, 2017

Concentrations of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in San Francisco Bay (SF Bay) wildlife have historically been among the highest reported globally. To track continuing

Concentrations of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in San Francisco Bay (SF Bay) wildlife have historically been among the highest reported globally. To track continuing exposures to PFASs and assess the impact of the 2002 phase-out of production of PFOS and related chemicals in the US, nine perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs; C4-C12), three perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids (PFSAs; C4, C6, C8) and perfluorooctane sulfonamide (PFOSA, a PFOS precursor) were measured in SF Bay cormorant eggs in 2012 and harbor seal serum sampled between 2009 and 2014. PFOS remained the dominant perfluoroalkyl acid (PFAA) in both cormorant eggs (36.1–466 ng/g) and seals (12.6–796 ng/g) from 2012 and 2014, respectively. Concentrations in seal and bird eggs from the South Bay have declined approximately 70% in both matrices. To elucidate potential pathways of exposure, prey fish, sediments and wastewater effluent were analyzed for PFASs, and in the case of sediment and effluent, a suite of PFAA precursors. PFOS was the dominant PFAA in prey fish and sediment. In effluent, different mixtures of PFAAs were measured, with PFOS, PFHxA, and PFOA detected in the highest concentrations. Polyfluoroalkyl phosphate diesters (PFCA-precursors) were observed at concentrations over an order of magnitude higher than PFCAs in sediment, highlighting their importance as a potential, on-going source of PFCAs to SF Bay wildlife. These findings suggest that the PFOS phase-out has resulted in reduced burdens to wildlife in SF Bay, but that exposure to diverse and incompletely characterized PFASs continues.

Perspectives on Bay–Delta Science and Policy

University of California, Davis (UC Davis) | December 1st, 2016

The State of Bay–Delta Science 2008 highlighted seven emerging perspectives on science and management of the Delta. These perspectives had important effects on policy a

The State of Bay–Delta Science 2008 highlighted seven emerging perspectives on science and management of the Delta. These perspectives had important effects on policy and legislation concerning management of the Delta ecosystem and water exports. From the collection of papers that make up the State of Bay–Delta Science 2016, the authors derive another seven perspectives that augment those published in 2008. The new perspectives address nutrient and contaminant concentrations in Delta waters, the failure of the Delta food web to support native species, the role of multiple stressors in driving species toward extinction, and the emerging importance of extreme events in driving change in the ecosystem and the water supply. Despite these new tools and scientific insights, species conservation objectives for the Delta are not being met. The authors believe that this lack of progress stems in part from the fact that science and policy do not incorporate sufficiently long-term perspectives. Looking forward half a century was central to the Delta Visioning process, but science and policy have not embraced this conceptual breadth. The authors are also concerned that protection and enhancement of the unique cultural, recreational, natural resource, and agricultural values of the Delta as an evolving place, as required by the Delta Reform Act, has received no critical study and analysis. Adopting wider and longer science and policy perspectives immediately encourages recognition of the need for evaluation, analysis, and public discourse on novel conservation approaches. These longer and wider perspectives also encourage more attention to the opportunities provided by heavily invaded ecosystems. It is past time to turn scientific and policy attention to these issues.

Pesticide Concentrations Associated with Augmented Flow Pulses in the Yolo Bypass and Cache Slough Complex, California

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) | July 23rd, 2020

Surface-water and suspended-sediment samples were collected and analyzed by the U.S. Geological Survey for multiple current-use pesticides and pesticide degradates approx

Surface-water and suspended-sediment samples were collected and analyzed by the U.S. Geological Survey for multiple current-use pesticides and pesticide degradates approximately every 2 weeks at up to five sites in the Yolo Bypass and Cache Slough Complex before, during, and after augmented flow pulses in summer and fall 2016 and 2018 as well as during ambient flow conditions in summer and fall 2017 (no flow pulse). In 2016, augmented flows occurred during the summer (July) and required the pumping of Sacramento River water by local Reclamation Districts into the Colusa Basin Drain and Yolo Bypass Toe Drain. In contrast, augmented flows in 2018 occurred in the fall (August–September) and used agricultural tailwater (primarily rice field discharge water) to create the flow pulse. Water samples were analyzed by the U.S. Geological Survey for a suite of 175 current-use pesticides and pesticide degradates using gas chromatography with mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry laboratory methods. Suspended sediments filtered from the water samples were analyzed for 143 pesticides and degradates by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry. During the study, 53 pesticides were detected, and all the samples contained mixtures of multiple pesticides at concentrations ranging from below method detection limits to 8,780 nanograms per liter. Pesticides used in growing rice were the dominant pesticides present at four of the five sites sampled and urban-use pesticides dominated at the remaining site. Overall, total pesticide concentrations tended to be higher at sites in the northern part of the Yolo Bypass and lower at southern sites, except for the farthest downstream site which received additional pesticide inputs from the Sacramento River. Flow-pulse water source influenced total pesticide concentrations in the Yolo Bypass and Cache Slough Complex, and the highest total pesticide concentrations at each site were detected either immediately before or during the flow pulse generated with agricultural tailwater in 2018. Data gathered during this study will aid the California Department of Water Resources and other agencies working in the region in adaptively managing pulse flows in the Yolo Bypass and Cache Slough Complex, as one of several California Natural Resources Agency’s Delta Smelt Resiliency strategies.