StressReliefPrescriptionsforaHealthierDeltaEcosystem.pdfVIP

Stress Relief Prescriptions for a Healthier Delta Ecosystem April 2013 Ellen Hanak • Jay Lund • John Durand • William Fleenor Brian Gray • Josué Medellín-Azuara • Jeffrey Mount Peter Moyle • Caitrin Phillips • Barton “Buzz” Thompson with research support from Elizabeth Stryjewski Supported with funding from the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation CarSon J EffrES S u m m a r y century and a half of human uses of the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta and its greater Awatershed have transformed the aquatic ecosystem, sharply reducing native fish popula- tions. Efforts to reverse these declines have been largely unsuccessful, and the rising costs of regulation have fueled social conflicts. These conflicts have often played out in the court- room, where scientific uncertainty has been used to undermine the legitimacy of Delta science. The state is at a critical juncture on Delta policy. Implementation of the first “Delta Plan”— the foundational plan for meeting the “co-equal goals” of ecosystem health and water supply reliability called for in the Delta Reform Act of 2009—is to begin in 2013. Decisions are also expected on the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP), which is intended to improve conditions for native species while facilitating continued water exports from the Delta under the federal and state Endangered Species Acts. These and related efforts offer significant promise. But Cali- fornia still faces an uphill battle to incorporate science effectively in decisionmaking and make judicious management choices within a highly fragmented and adversarial institutional struc- ture, involving dozens of federal, state, and local entities. This report summarizes the results of a wide-ranging study examining steps California can take to improve the health of the Delta ecosystem through science-based, integrated manage- ment of the many sources of ecosystem stress. Our key findings: 1.