End of the Salmon Season

Zeke Grader, from the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, talks about the role of the Delta in the salmon fishing closure.

Salmon fishing off California, Oregon banned

A sad day for commercial salmon fishermen and all the coastal people and businesses that depend on them. While some blame "ocean conditions," the experts I've talked to say that is but one of many things gone wrong for the salmon population. Troubles in the Delta are also at the top of the list and we'll investigate them for the documentary.

Here's the article in the SF Chronicle.

Scientists breed smelt in case species becomes extinct in Delta

Matt Weiser, the Sacramento Bee's excellent environmental reporter, writes about the effort by UC Davis scientists to breed endangered Delta smelt in case they go extinct in the near (or long-term) future due to the environmental mess in the Delta.

Scientists try to explain dismal salmon run

SF Chronicle article on the crashing salmon runs in the Delta. Is the cause river conditions or ocean conditions? Pumping the water south or toxic agricultural runoff? Climate change or a natural cyclical pattern? Or a combination of some or all?

We'll examine these questions (and many others) in the documentary.

California begins study of canal's effect on delta

The study is designed to see whether a "peripheral canal," an engineered waterway that would go around the most environmentally sensitive area of the delta, is a viable solution to some of the delta's troubles.

Back in 1982, there was an epic political fight over the question of a similar canal that was eventually rejected by California voters. The study is supposed to take 30 months, which seems like a long time for a region in crisis.

More on the DWR website.

California's water war heating up

Excellent column in the Sacramento Bee by political reporter Dan Walters. Lays out the political template of the story with some amusing anecdotes from past water wars thrown in.

Radio Program on Salmon Collapse

KQED's Forum radio show had an excellent hour today on the role of the Delta in the collapse of the Central Valley salmon.

Go here to listen or download the program as a podcast.

Central Valley Salmon Population Declines

An article in the SF Chronicle with the chilling phrase "unprecedented collapse" concerning the low number of salmon returning to Central Valley rivers in 2007. This is bound to impact the water flows through the Delta in the coming years.

Delta Vision Panel Releases Proposals

The committee put together by Governor Schwarzenegger released its proposals, including advocating a peripheral canal and new storage systems, along with calling for buying up land that lies in flood prone areas to try and slow development. They also recommend creating a new state agency to oversee efforts to restore the Delta.

Here's an article about the proposals, and here is more info on the Delta Vision task force.

A Documentary about the California Delta

Welcome. Over the course of the production of this documentary about the California Delta we'll post updates about its progress. Check back for updates.

For more info about the documentary contact us at info (at) veriscope (dot) com.