Our One Word Definition of the Delta - Cornerstone

On November 28, 2011 Delta Stewardship Council Chairman, Phil Isenberg visited North Delta CARES.  In the course of the evening, Mr. Isenberg used the word 'rural' to describe the Delta and challenged us to define the Delta in our own words...

If was from that challenge this blog took its name California 'Cornerstone' from the words of Ms. Nicole Suard, Esq. and Managing Partner of Snug Harbor Resorts, LLC:

If we must pick just one word to describe the Delta, it should be “Cornerstone”

We, the Delta region collectively are:

The Cornerstone of California’s agricultural economy, with 80% of California's Class 1 Prime Soils located within the boundaries of the North Delta Water Agency,

The Cornerstone of California’s water supply resource,

The causeway for many important fish species like salmon, as well as the international Pacific Flyway including up to 700 diverse terrestrial and aquatic species,

The Prime northern California freshwater recreation area with 700+ navigable miles of freshwater rivers and sloughs to explore and recreate in,

And an emerging world class wine grape Appellation.

We, along with the San Francisco Bay, are the cornerstone of California’s history.  As the first major population areas were in the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento with thriving communities along the transportation routes…the Sacramento River, her tributaries, and the San Joaquin River.

The Delta region and Bay Area are also the cornerstone of the natural gas industry of California, and becoming the cornerstone of the wind turbine industry.

And last but most certainly not the least, up until 2013, has been the cornerstone of state politics in Sacramento.

Delta Stewardship Council to Hear Adverse Impacts in BDCP EIR/EIS Thursday, December 19, 2013

 

From Melinda Terry, Executive Director, North Delta Water Agency:

 

FYI – In case you missed it, Agenda Item #14 of the Delta Stewardship Council’s agenda this Thursday, December 19^th is a presentation of the adverse impacts in the BDCP EIR/EIS. 

Here is a link to the agenda:  http://deltacouncil.ca.gov/sites/default/files/documents/files/packet_agenda_11.pdf

And a link to the cover letter about the overall plan for the day:  http://deltacouncil.ca.gov/sites/default/files/documents/files/2013-12-09%20Cover%20Letter%20v1.pdf

There are 750 adverse impacts identified in the EIR/EIS – everything from Agriculture to Water Quality -- 48 of them are categorized as “Significant and Unavoidable” which means they will not be mitigated or remediated to a level of insignificance.

Here is the link to the DSC staff document outlining Agenda Item #14’s discussion of BDCP impacts:  http://deltacouncil.ca.gov/sites/default/files/documents/files/Item_14_2.pdf

So if you want to make sure the DSC is aware of impacts that may matter to you such as non-navigable waterways/channels due to cofferdams and  river barge facilities, noise and vibration from daily steel pile driving, loss of running water in home due to dewatering activities, increase in response times for emergency vehicles due the increased construction traffic volume, degradation of water quality at your agriculture or municipal water intake, risk of sink holes/subsidence that may pose risk to levee stability – then you will want to show up and testify at the hearing. 

Hopefully the DSC will take this opportunity to explain to the public, particularly Delta residents how they plan to fulfill their statutory responsibility to protect Delta As Place, which you can offer your views as well.

Be sure to tell Delta residents about this important discussion and encourage them to attend as I know I missed people on the list, so am counting on all of you to spread the word. 

See you then, Melinda