The Harvey O. Banks Pumps, the beginning of the 440 mile State Water Project. Photo courtesy of Aquafornia.

June 2, 2009 -- May comes to an end and slaughter of Delta smelt and splittail resumes.  Yesterday the state and federal project export pumps were turned back on, Old and Middle Rivers quickly reversed flow (from positive 925 cfs to negative 719 cfs) and dead Delta smelt and splittail immediately began to show up in the salvage baskets.  Or, as Westlands' Tom Birmingham and DWR's Lester Snow would phrase it: “further proof that the pumps are not the problem.” 

Pursuant to Judge Wanger's Friday ruling, USFWS must now justify to the court that there are no available alternatives to the present limit of negative 1,250 cfs in Old/Middle Rivers.  If they can't, the present limit will be lifted and salvage will likely become a massacre.

Salvage data attached in pdf.  Note: salvage numbers are a small fraction of actual losses, which include massive predation in Clifton Court Forebay and fish that pass through the louvers at the screens.