California Plans to Flush More Water to Sea to Save Delta Smelt

California Plans to Flush More Water to Sea to Save Delta Smelt:
"The State of California has released a new plan to save the endangered Delta Smelt, including a proposal to flush up to 250,000 acre-feet of water from reservoirs into the Pacific Ocean in the summertime, despite ongoing drought.
For several years, farmers have watched as fresh water has been diverted from agriculture to save the small bait fish, which is easily bred in laboratories, but has disappeared from estuaries, partly due to predators and party due to saltier conditions.
...As the Sacramento Bee notes, “That’s no small amount: 200,000 acre-feet is equal to a quarter of ...Folsom Lake’s capacity, though not all the amount released would come from Folsom.”
California has suffered a drought over the past five years, and water restrictions remain in place in many areas despite ample rains in the northern part of the state this past winter due to El Niño."