The Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta drains into San Francisco Bay, together forming the largest estuary on the West Coast of the Americas. The Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers provide both critical freshwater input for San Francisco Bay, as well as harmful pollution. The health of the Delta is essential to the health of San Francisco Bay.
Agricultural pesticide runoff, nutrient pollution, toxic discharges from industrial sites, dredging, habitat loss, massive water diversions, and poor management have led to severely degraded water quality in the Delta. Yet more than 23 million Californians depend on the Delta for drinking water, and it supplies all or part of the water supply for millions of acres of farmland. The health of the Delta is crucial for our state’s economy, public health, and quality of life.
Baykeeper’s Recent Work to Defend the Delta
San Francisco Baykeeper’s efforts in recent years to defend the Delta from pollution include:
Advocating for more freshwater flows into the Delta and Bay. In the face of alarming signs of ecosystem collapse in parts of the San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary, Baykeeper is advocating in support of increasing freshwater flows to the Bay and Delta from the San Joaquin River. Learn more: More Water for Healthy Fish and a Healthy Estuary.
Opposing the Delta Tunnels/Cal Water Fix. Plans to divert fresh water from the Sacramento River and send it through two tunnels to pumps on the southern end of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta could devastate the San Francisco Bay-Delta ecosystem. Learn more: Baykeeper Issues Opposition Paper to Cal WaterFix Delta Tunnels Plan, Delta Tunnels Renamed Cal Water Fix, Still Bad for the Bay.
Stopping oil storage expansion along the Delta. An oil storage and transfer facility proposed for Pittsburg could have polluted the Delta. The facility would have led to more oil being shipped by rail on tracks near the Delta and through Delta wetlands, creating a risk of oil spills and explosions. Facing pressure from Baykeeper, other organizations, and local communities, in 2015 the facility developer called off the project. Learn more: WesPac Calls Off Proposed Pittsburg Oil Storage Facility
Stopping oil refinery expansion along the Delta. In response to pressure from Baykeeper, our partner environmental organizations, and local residents, Benicia’s City Council voted unanimously in 2016 to reject Valero Energy Corporation’s proposal to expand the rail yard at its Benicia refinery. The expansion would have dramatically increased the number of tank cars filled with crude oil traveling on tracks near Suisun Bay, Delta wetlands, and San Francisco Bay. Learn more: Victory! Benicia Rejects Crude Oil Rail Expansion Near the Bay
Opposing wetland destruction on Point Bucker Island. After the owner of 39-acre Point Buckler Island, located in Suisun Bay at the confluence of the Delta and San Francisco Bay, filled the island’s wetlands and tidal marshes without proper permits, authorities ordered that the ecosystem be restored and imposed a fine. Baykeeper advocated in support of restoring the wetlands. Learn more: What’s Better for the Bay: Wetlands or Private Resort?
Winning a court victory to stop excessive sand mining. In 2015, Baykeeper won a court victory to stop excessive sand mining in San Francisco Bay and the Delta. Excessive sand mining in Suisun Bay damages habitat used by sturgeon, ducks, and many other species of fish and water birds. Learn more: Victory! Court Rules Against Excessive Sand Mining in San Francisco Bay
Securing the removal of the Ghost Fleet. In 2010, Baykeeper secured the cleanup of the Ghost Fleet, 57 surplus warships that deposited 20 tons of heavy metals into Suisun Bay over 40 years. The federal government has removed almost all of the ships. Learn more: Ghost Fleet Updates
Securing oil spill protections for Delta waters. In a major victory for protecting Delta and all California waters from oil spills, Baykeeper helped orchestrate the passage of a state law in 2014 that provides the state’s rivers, lakes, and creeks with oil spill protections previously given only to the state’s coastal waters. The risk of oil spills in the Delta has risen as more crude oil is shipped across the US by rail. The 2014 law also funds the California agency that rescues wildlife injured by an oil spill. Learn more: New Law Expands Oil Spill Protections for State’s Waters and Wildlife
Baykeeper’s Past Victories to Stop Pollution in the Delta
First regulations on agricultural pesticides in the nation. In 2004, Baykeeper, through our Deltakeeper project, won a groundbreaking set of pollution controls in the Central Valley, pollution that washes down into the Delta and Bay. These were the first regulations on agricultural pesticides in the nation. In 2009, Baykeeper and a coalition of environmental groups won an important fight to protect creeks, rivers, fish, and other wildlife from pesticide spraying in waterways. Learn more: The Nation’s First Regulations on Agricultural Pesticides Secured
First regulations on aquatic pesticide sprays in the nation. In 2009, Baykeeper, through our Deltakeeper project, and a coalition of environmental groups won an important fight to protect creeks, rivers, fish, and other wildlife from pesticide spraying in waterways. Learn more: The Nation’s First Regulations on Agricultural Pesticides Secured
Requiring Dow Chemical to clean up its contamination of the Delta and Bay. In 2002, Baykeeper compelled Dow Chemical’s Pittsburg plant to keep dangerous toxic chemicals from contaminating Suisun Bay. Learn more: Dow Chemical Required to Clean Up Its Contamination
Reducing harm from the Port of Stockton. In 2007, Baykeeper, through our Deltakeeper project, successfully concluded more than three years of work to secure a settlement agreement from the Port of Stockton to reduce the environmental impact caused by an expansion of the Port. As it was originally proposed, the expansion project would have been an environmental disaster for the Delta. Learn more: Controlling Development in The Delta