From the Delta Conservancy:
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Week, taking place this year from September 22 through 28, is a celebration of the lifeblood of California’s water system and the people who call the region home.
Delta Week was made official by Sen. Bill Dodd’s Senate Concurrent Resolution 119 in 2022. Those who work and live in the Delta have long known that it’s a special and vital place.
The Delta is formed by the union of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers. Those rivers mingle with smaller tributaries and tidal flows from the ocean to form the highly biodiverse and productive San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary.
The Delta is important for many reasons. Some include:
- Provides water to about 27 million Californians.
- Supports one of the largest estuaries on the West Coast of North and South America.
- Home to more than 750 plant and animal species, including 55 fish species.
- Provides migratory birds an important stop on the Pacific Flyway.
- Contains more than 500,000 acres of agricultural land that provides food for worldwide distribution.
- It’s a world-class recreational destination, attracting about 12 million visitors per year.
- In 2019, the Delta became California’s first National Heritage Area.
“As we celebrate Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Week, we recognize the rich history, diverse wildlife, and thriving agriculture of this vital region. It’s a week to recognize the unique beauty and resilience of this landscape, and to honor the communities that have called it home for generations,” said Delta Conservancy Executive Officer Campbell Ingram. “Despite facing challenges like subsidence of Delta islands and habitat loss, ongoing collaborative projects in the Delta demonstrate paths forward that benefit both people and wildlife. At the Delta Conservancy, we are committed to safeguarding and restoring crucial ecosystems and advancing the economic well-being of Delta residents in the near and long term.”
