"Remember when U. S. District Judge Oliver Wanger found the Biological Opinions were inadequate to protect fish in the Delta? He ordered export reductions while fishery agencies went back to redo the BiOps, and exporters had a long, noisy fit.
The new BiOps require nearly the same export restrictions to protect fish. Now Wanger doesn't find enough science there to support decreased exports.
Last week, Wanger decided that water officials must consider humans along with fish in limiting use of the Delta for irrigation. The arguments of urban and agricultural water users convinced him that the federal government's science didn't prove increased pumping from the Delta imperiled salmon.
Wanger followed that decision with another this week that lifted pumping restrictions designed to help endangered salmon. Urban and agricultural water users argued that these restriction could be lifted without harming the fish. The order will be in place until June 15.
As of this writing, pumping restrictions to protect smelt remain in place. According to John Ellis, reporting in the Fresno Bee, users have focused on the salmon restrictions because they are less onerous than those for smelt. But Tom Birmingham, general manager of Westlands Water District, admits that continued smelt restrictions could cancel any water delivery gains resulting from lifting the salmon restrictions.
Writes Ellis, "Wanger also ordered federal officials to monitor the increased pumping. If more endangered spring-run Chinook salmon or Central Valley steelhead are found around the pumps or being killed by them, the federal government or environmental groups can ask Wanger to reverse his ruling." But at this point, "most of the endangered spring-run Chinook salmon and Central Valley steelhead had already passed through the Delta and out to the Pacific Ocean."
To some, this looks like the same plan for operation that Wanger invalidated in the previous salmon management plan because it jeopardized the species."
restorethedelta.com
The new BiOps require nearly the same export restrictions to protect fish. Now Wanger doesn't find enough science there to support decreased exports.
Last week, Wanger decided that water officials must consider humans along with fish in limiting use of the Delta for irrigation. The arguments of urban and agricultural water users convinced him that the federal government's science didn't prove increased pumping from the Delta imperiled salmon.
Wanger followed that decision with another this week that lifted pumping restrictions designed to help endangered salmon. Urban and agricultural water users argued that these restriction could be lifted without harming the fish. The order will be in place until June 15.
As of this writing, pumping restrictions to protect smelt remain in place. According to John Ellis, reporting in the Fresno Bee, users have focused on the salmon restrictions because they are less onerous than those for smelt. But Tom Birmingham, general manager of Westlands Water District, admits that continued smelt restrictions could cancel any water delivery gains resulting from lifting the salmon restrictions.
Writes Ellis, "Wanger also ordered federal officials to monitor the increased pumping. If more endangered spring-run Chinook salmon or Central Valley steelhead are found around the pumps or being killed by them, the federal government or environmental groups can ask Wanger to reverse his ruling." But at this point, "most of the endangered spring-run Chinook salmon and Central Valley steelhead had already passed through the Delta and out to the Pacific Ocean."
To some, this looks like the same plan for operation that Wanger invalidated in the previous salmon management plan because it jeopardized the species."
restorethedelta.com