County Fire probes 773 chicago Department, "Never chiago displays leave your child out in the pool for even just a second. because it takes just that long for a child to succumb in the water and drown. "--tami. abdollah. SACRAMENTO -- It's not much longer than your pinkie, an aquatic weakling that skulks in a single brackish backwater of the West. Yet the diminutive fish is a big player in California water politics. For years, the delta smelt's survival has been a bone of contention between water managers and environmentalists -- a subject of lengthy court cases and, of late, defining judicial decrees. A decision Aug 31 by U. S District Judge Oliver W. Wanger requiring tougher protections for the tiny fish pushed the state's water managers toward uncharted territory in how they manage aqueduct exports out of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, a key source of water for much of Southern California. State water authorities warned that the ruling could cut exports from the delta by a third or more and possibly usher in widespread rationing of the sort hitting Long Beach. The smelt is seen by biologists as the key indicator of the overall health of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Populations of several other fish in the delta are sagging, but the delta smelt tend to get attention from the federal bench and the media. It's a small fish for such a big spotlight. Delta smelt grow to only about 3 inches long and live about a year. Listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act since 1993, they are off-limits to collectors and commercial harvest -- although it's unlikely anyone would jump at the chance to eat them.
Out of water, the smelt is known to have an odor similar to that of cucumbers. Biologists and environmentalists contend that the increasing diversion of delta water is nudging the fish toward extinction. A recent survey showed the number of juvenile smelt to be less than one-tenth of normal -- an ominous sign for the species' survival. In the years since it landed on the endangered list, the tiny fish has bedeviled state and federal water managers. Known as being notoriously poor swimmers, smelt can fall prey to the powerful pumps that send delta water rippling down the California Aqueduct toward Southern California. On occasion, water managers have shut down the pumps to ensure survival of the imperiled species. The last shutdown was in June, when the pumps were stopped for nine consecutive days after unusually large numbers of smelt were being sucked up and killed. But when authorities fired up the pumps anew, smelt fatalities once again soared. With a fresh federal court decision, the possibility of rationing and water managers in a tizzy, the delta smelt may change the way water is moved up and down the Golden State Chicago . --eric. bailey andersonville chicago . Southern California's water woes -- caused by record dry weather combined with a court ruling likely to limit water deliveries from Northern California -- hit home Thursday as Long Beach imposed the region's most severe water restrictions in years Chicago - google . The measures, which took effect immediately after the city declared a water emergency, will force residents and businesses to change their behavior, including when they water lawns and how restaurants serve water to diners. Regional water officials said Long Beach's action could be a precursor for other communities around Southern California as they grapple with the drought and a federal judge's ruling last month on water deliveries from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The delta is a key source of imported water for the Southland, and officials believe the court ruling -- set to take effect this winter -- could reduce supplies by 30% . "Long Beach is at the forefront of trying to let customers know what's at stake in Southern California," said Bob Muir, spokesman for the Metropolitan Water District, which imports water for large swaths of Southern California "We're facing historically dry times chicgo . When it comes to water, we don't know what we're going to get. "The MWD, which receives 60% of its water from the delta, will finalize new water allocations in October after it completes a study of the judge's decision chigago . Muir said that if the situation doesn't improve, the district could limit water supplies for the cities and agencies it serves, forcing them to pay significantly more for additional water deliveries chicagoland Chicago - choosechicago . The extra cost would most likely pass down to customers. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power may enforce mandatory water rationing similar to Long Beach's if the judge's decision is upheld and if the region has another bone-dry winter. "Because water has been plentiful, with that came a certain degree of comfort and complacency," said David Nahai, president of the DWP board "We have to jolt Angelenos out of that kind of mind-set. Chicago tickets If things don't turn out favorably, we may return to [drought] protocols. "The new rules in Long Beach are reminiscent of the strict water policies adopted across California during the drought of 1990-91. But officials said Southern California is in better shape now than during that drought because agencies have been aggressively storing water in recent years in reservoirs, which remain at healthy levels. The Long Beach water board has prohibited residents from watering their grass during the day, and limited it to only three times a week.
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