Enewsletter for April 2020

Selenium poisoning is shocking local scientists… again. Newly published studies found deformities in 80 percent of young Sacramento splittail minnow, a threatened fish found in the Sacramento River. The scientists attribute these spinal malformations to selenium pollution, similar to the deformities discovered at Kesterson during the 1980s. 

Selenium pollution in the Delta and Bay comes from two main sources: agricultural runoff and the Bay Area’s oil refineries, which release selenium as a toxic by-product of the refining process. 

For years, Big Oil and Big Ag have been fighting to block Baykeeper's efforts to reel in selenium pollution. 

But now, thanks to the recent selenium studies on the splittail, Baykeeper might have an unlikely new tool in our arsenal to fight toxic selenium pollution. Believe it or not, it's fish ears, which contain a record that scientists can use to track the selenium stored up in the fish's body. 

Thanks to the damning chemical data found in fish ears, Baykeeper's advocates may now have new science-based evidence to hold the oil refineries accountable.

Read more about selenium pollution in the Delta and Bay.

Photo of a Sacramento splittail by USFWS Pacific Southwest Region

A new plan by the US Army Corps of Engineers to dredge deeper shipping channels in San Francisco Bay could hurt the Bay—and the health of the people who live here, too. 

The plan would connect Bay Area refineries to the Golden Gate with tanker-worthy corridors. The plan, even with some hard-won improvements, will primarily benefit local oil refineries. Deeper channels will allow refineries to load even larger oil tankers, leading to more oil on the Bay, an increased risk of spills locally, and more fuel for the climate crisis. The plan could also be the first step for the Port of Stockton to expand toxic coal exports.

What's more, the dredging plan could have a disastrous effect on the drinking water supplies of Bay-Delta communities. Deeper dredging could alter the topography of the Bay so that the salt water of the Bay moves further east, affecting freshwater habitat, the tap water flowing into hundreds of thousands of homes, and the irrigation water reaching the region’s crops.

That’s why Baykeeper is partnering with a coalition to push back on the plan. We’ll stand strong to make sure our Bay and communities are protected.

Read more about the Corps’ harmful dredging plan.

Photo of a dredger by Richard Bangert

After decades of neglect, the Petaluma River remains dangerously contaminated, with high levels of bacteria showing up in every single water test taken in the river.

Late last year, we reported our concerns about a flawed local agency plan to address the Petaluma’s troubling pollution levels. And in March, Baykeeper further challenged the plan before the oversight agency, urging the State Water Board to reject it as inadequate.

Baykeeper's scientists maintain that the Petaluma River is currently so contaminated with bacteria that people will get sick swimming and paddling in the waters, and our lawyers contend that the plan fails to hold accountable all of the sewage polluters along the river.  We’ll keep advocating to protect our waters.

Read more about how we’re tackling this issue.

Photo of the Petaluma River by Scott Hess, Flickr/CC

Baykeeper volunteer field investigators Léa Pfeffer and Peter Dobson went out on the Bay to observe any unusual conditions that might have resulted from the coronavirus stay-at-home orders, as well as measures the region is taking to flatten the curve. We had expected there might be a noticeable increase in littered plastic items, like sanitary gloves, but what Léa and Peter saw instead was a humpback whale! Sadly they also intercepted a radio transmission from one of the ferries saying that the ship had accidentally struck a whale, which Baykeeper immediately reported to the Harbor Safety Committee.  

When the people are away, the whales will play! But big boats on the water need to be especially vigilant now that they are sharing shipping lanes with our cetacean cousins.    

In a subsequent Bay patrol Peter saw three humpbacks swimming in the Bay, also in or near regular shipping channels. We’re working with the Marine Mammal Center to provide clearer guidance to ferry operators to protect these big visitors to the Bay.

In the spirit of Earth Day, Baykeeper is posting beautiful photos of everything we love about San Francisco Bay, and Baykeeper staff and supporters are sharing favorite Bay stories, on Twitter and Instagram.

We invite you to share your photos and stories as well. 

Here's what you can do:

Pick a favorite old photo of the Bay. Write a brief caption that describes how you feel about the Bay: what do love about the Bay, or what is a favorite memory?  

Post the photo with caption on Twitter or Instagram, with the hashtags: #beautifulSFbay and #imabaykeeper and tag @sfbaykeeper. Baykeeper will like and repost your photos, and select some to feature in our emails and on our website!

Instagram post courtesy of greenswimmergirl