Don’t Blame the Smelt!
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Submitted by Aguanomics Blog
While I was finishing my paper on the Delta, I ran into this question:
How much of the drop in exports can be blamed on the weather, and how much can be blamed on the Delta Smelt?
Luckily, DWR has answered [PDF] this question (copy). Even better, their answer includes both CVP and SWP exports:
The Smelt is responsible for 16 percent of the reduction in CVP/SWP deliveries in dry years — and up to 30 percent in wet years.
Bottom Line: Blame God, not Wanger.
