Deptuty Interior Secretary David Hayes re: Sac Delta Water Woes

The Delta's Chance to Talk to the Department of the Interior
Upcoming Meeting August 12, 2009

Restore the Delta is asking you to take special action on behalf of protecting the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

Dear Restore the Delta Supporters,

Deptuty Interior Secretary David Hayes and DWR Director Lester Snow will hold a public meeting on California's Water Challenges and Delta related issues

At the end of June, San Joaquin Valley agribusiness interests got U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to Fresno to hear them talk about the "regulatory drought" and "fish versus people." This week, Northern California has a chance to tell Salazar's deputy David J. Hayes its side of the water story. Restore the Delta believes that this is one of the two most important meetings that our supporters can attend on behalf of the Delta this year.

As of today, (8/10), no other information on the agenda or speakers is available from DWR. However, we can all imagine what Lester Snow's preferred agenda would include. In Fresno, Salazar said he wanted to work with the State of California in addressing Central Valley water issues. We need a good showing of people who can make it clear that DWR's decision- making is too influenced by politics and questionable science to be reliable.
About Restore the Delta

Restore the Delta is a grassroots campaign committed to making the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta fishable, swimmable, drinkable, and farmable to benefit all of California. Restore the Delta - a coalition of Delta residents, business leaders, civic organizations, community groups, faith-based communities, union locals, farmers, fishermen, and environmentalists - seeks to strengthen the health of the estuary and the well-being of Delta communities. Restore the Delta works to improve water quality so that fisheries and farming can thrive together again in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

Restore the Delta
Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla
Making the California Delta fishable, swimmable, drinkable, and farmable by 2010!

Why Restore the Delta?

* Over 700 native species of fish, animals, and plants can be found in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
* 23 million Californians are dependent on the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta for drinking water.
* The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is the largest Pacific coast estuary for both North and South America.
* Over 500,000 acres of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta are farmed. Good water quality results in good crops.
* The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is one of the primary ecological sources of California's $4 billion annual economy.
* The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is one of the most important stopover regions for birds migrating from Canada to Central America.
* The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta supports a fishing, boating, and recreation economy worth $500 million annually.
* The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is culturally diverse and has a rich historical legacy that adds vibrancy to area tourism.
* The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is part of our natural heritage and should be restored and sustained for our children.