Spreck Rosekrans is an Economic Analyst at EDF.

It was disappointing for several reasons to read Craig Manson’s opinion editorial in yesterday’s San Francisco Chronicle that criticizes the management of the Delta export pumps to protect Delta smelt.

First, the column is titled “Shutting off the pumps…”. The pumps are not being shut off. The new regulations will limit how much can be exported, but will still allow as much as was exported until recent the pattern of increases that began in 2000. A study by Professor David Sunding et al. of Berkeley Economic Consulting, funded by the water exporters, shows that deliveries to the State Water Project as a result of the federal court ruling to protect Delta smelt would actually be in excess of amounts delivered through 1999.

Second, due to the Endangered Species Act ruling the Delta smelt are getting most of the ink. But folks who are paying attention are aware that it is not simply the Delta smelt that are at risk, but also longfin smelt, striped bass, threadfin shad etc., not to mention the salmon that until last year provided both jobs to fisherman up and down the coast and a healthy choice at the dinner table.

Third, Manson’s tenure as Assistant Secretary for Parks and Wildlife, U.S. Department of the Interior is somewhat tainted, as his deputy, Julie MacDonald “was found to have exerted improper political interference on nearly every decision made on the protection of federally endangered species over five years.”

We do agree with Manson that factors such as food supply, invasive species and pollution need to be addressed in the Delta as well. But we do not think we will be able restore our fisheries unless we limit how much water we divert from the Delta and the rivers that feed it.