"A Delta Renewed" report released at the 2016 Bay-Delta Science Conference

The San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) released A DELTA RENEWED – A Guide to Science-Based Ecological Restoration in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.  The report, the third of three landmark Delta science studies from SFEI, was prepared in cooperation with state agencies including the Delta Stewardship Council, Delta Conservancy, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

“The report’s two main messages are that Delta restoration success is possible and that proven examples exist,” said the report’s principle author, Dr. Letitia Grenier of the San Francisco Estuary Institute. “The report provides science guidance about how the Delta used to function and how it has changed.  It then provides a holistic approach to restore the Delta’s ecological systems and native wildlife and to have management adapt, as conditions change.  The report emphasizes efficient restoration, taking the least amount of land and water to support wildlife and food webs, while retaining agriculture and critical water supply functions,” concluded Dr. Grenier.

“This bold report offers a guide for Delta resource managers, planners, and local government decision makers,” said Randy Fiorini, Chair of the Delta Stewardship Council.  “The science guidelines will help us to shape the protection, restoration, and enhancement of Delta ecosystems.  It’s based on a well-defined landscape ecology framework, more holistic than the regulatory status quo that so often emphasizes species-by-species protection.”

“This report is the first of its kind to visually display the potential to restore a broad range of Delta ecosystems,” said Chuck Bonham, Director of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.  “Recommendations from this third report are already being incorporated into state planning efforts, including the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Delta Conservation Framework, to support restoration of critical habitats for threatened and endangered species.”

“The groundbreaking science developed for the report will be used by the Delta Conservancy, the Delta Stewardship Council, and other State agencies, to develop metrics and performance measures to track the effectiveness of habitat restoration over the long term.  It will also inform both the Delta Plan and Estuary Blueprint implementation,” said Campbell Ingram, Executive Officer of the Delta Conservancy.

Major goals of the Delta Renewed report are to:

• Guide restoration planning and design at regional, landscape, and project scales,
• Inform stakeholder planning and visioning efforts,
• Track how local projects add up to larger landscapes, and provide advice for optimal outcomes, and
• Guide restoration funding priorities

Click here for a four page Fact Sheet on the report