By: Norma Yuriar
Fresno, Calif. (KMPH News) - First the Delta Smelt, now Chinook Salmon. Federal fisheries have a new plan to protect endangered fish.
"Eight hundred thousand salmon returned to the river just a few years back, but last year we only saw 60,000 fish come back. That's a 90% decline in just a few years," said Mike Hudson with Salmonaid.
On Thursday the National Marine Fisheries Service announced salmon and other endangered species need more water in rivers and streams in order to survive. A decision, valley farmers argue puts fish before people.
"Fresno County, the San Joaquin Valley produces 55% of the nation's food supply. If we are not receiving a water supply here, those crops are not being grown," said Sarah Woolf with the Westlands Water District.
Woolf says Fresno County's west side is still trying to recover, after regulators cut water allocations to farmers to 10% this year to protect the Delta Smelt.
Members of Congress from the valley say if local growers receive any less water there will be dyer consequences.
"This government is presiding over a manmade drought in California," said Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Visalia. "Thanks to this, my district's at 20% unemployment. Some communities are at 50% unemployment."
Farmers say they plan to challenge Thursday's decision in court.
"We anticipate at Westlands that we will be going to court again filing a similar case that we did on the Delta Smelt asking to bring into account the environmental and human impacts," said Woolf.
The new regulations would cut water supplies from the Delta by about seven percent - that's enough water for a city of two million people and enough to give a declining fish population a second chance.
"We think today is the beginning of the change. If it doesn't change a number of those fish are headed for extinction," said Dick Pool with the Water for Fish Program.
The cuts will hit water supplies next year, in what form exactly is still unknown. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation says it's reading the 800 page report before it takes action.
