Delta Happenings
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In this (packed!) issue
It's Delta Week!
DPC NEWS
DELTA NEWS
BRIDGE WORK
GRANTS AVAILABLE
OPPORTUNITIES
Delta Agency Meetings
Community Events: Clarksburg Portuguese FESTAval, Brentwood Brew Festival, De Anza Trail Ride
Harmful Algal Blooms
IT'S DELTA WEEK!
 Delta Week - the last week in September - was created in 2022 with state Senate Concurrent Resolution 119 to call on all Californians "to acknowledge the high value of the Delta and the multiple benefits of a healthy Delta region."
Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, the author of the resolution, kicked off 2024 Delta Week last week with a press release and video.
The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy held a Delta Waterway Cleanup on Sherman Island Saturday. And last week, the Delta Protection Commission authorized the Delta Protection Advisory Committee to organize its own Delta Waterway Cleanup going forward.
And Monday was the 32nd anniversary of the signing of the Delta Protection Act of 1992, which created the Delta Protection Commission. Celebrate with us by sharing Five Ways to Honor the Delta.
DELTA PROTECTION COMMISSION NEWS
The DPC met on Sept. 19 in West Sacramento and took the following actions:
DPC Appoints NHA Advisory Committee
DPC Creates Memorial Seat Honoring Gerry Goodie
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The Delta Protection Commission on Thursday named a seat on the Delta Protection Advisory Committee for the late Gerry Goodie.
Read more.
Gerry Goodie is in the front row on the right side in this February 2024 image.
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DPAC to Organize Delta Waterway Cleanup
The Delta Protection Commission last week authorized the Delta Protection Advisory Committee to organize a Delta Waterway Cleanup.
"It gives DPAC a mission and makes us an asset for the Delta Protection Commission," DPAC Chair Anna Swenson said in August when DPAC voted to take on the project.
Cleanup planning will be a standing item on the Committee's bi-monthly agenda. Its next meeting is Oct. 1.
DELTA NEWS
Lookout Slough Levee Breached as Part of Restoration Project
 The Department of Water Resources and Ecosystem Investment Partners held a levee breaching ceremony on Sept. 18 to celebrate the completion of the 3,400-acre Lookout Slough Tidal Habitat Restoration Project.
An excavator breached the eastern levee, allowing tidal water onto the site for the first time in 100 years. With 600 feet of dirt excavated for this breach, it was the largest of the nine planned breaches. (See photos of the event.)
“Lookout Slough is the biggest environmental restoration project in the Delta in decades," said DWR Director Karla Nemeth.
"And a critical feature of it is the improved flood protection it provides to surrounding communities. Protecting people from flooding doesn’t have to be at odds with the environment – it can actually work with it,” she said.
Isleton Receives Broadband Grant
The City of Isleton has been awarded a $20,000 Digital Equity Best Practices grant from the California Emerging Technology Fund. The money can be used for efforts to close the digital divide, promote digital inclusion, and achieve digital equity.
"Cities are becoming known not just for parks and recreation, economic opportunity, safety, and housing, but for quality of Internet. That's the spirit behind all this recent funding," said City Councilman David Kent. "Isleton must also be known for equality and advocacy in the way we influence the availability of service."
A 2019 Delta Protection Commission report (PDF) highlighted Delta legacy communities' inadequate access to high-speed internet. The Commission has worked with the City, Valley Vision and Sacramento County over the years to increase broadband connectivity and access, and assisted the City in its application for the grant.
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GRANT OPPORTUNITIES
Boating Safety Grants Available
California State Parks’ Division of Boating and Waterways is accepting grant applications from organizations that teach on-the-water boating safety education to the public.
$1.4 million in Aquatic Center Education Program grants is available to local public agencies, nonprofit organizations, and colleges/universities operating within California. The deadline to apply is Oct. 25 at noon.
The grants are competitive and can be used to:
- Purchase boating equipment and supplies.
- Provide student scholarships for on-the-water boating courses.
- Offset costs for boating instructor training.
- Offset costs for boating safety-related events.
Maritime Heritage Grants Available
The California Office of Historic Preservation is accepting applications through Nov. 12 for Maritime Heritage Grants.
The focus will be on maritime heritage resources that are historically under-represented and/or are of statewide or national importance, and on increasing opportunities for the public to visit and learn about maritime heritage.
BRIDGE WORK AND CLOSURES
Marine Traffic Bridge Closures in SJ County
 San Joaquin County movable-span bridges will be temporarily closed to marine traffic Oct. 1-Jan. 31. The bridges will be open to vehicles, but may be reduced to one lane of travel at times.
Affected bridges are the Eight Mile Road Bridge at Honker Cut Canal, the Bacon Island Road Bridge at Middle River, and the Tracy Boulevard Bridge at the Grant Line Canal.
Rio Vista Bridge
 A repaving project on the Rio Vista Bridge (Helen Madere Memorial Bridge) on State Route 12 just east of Rio Vista will cause multiple 55-hour weekend bridge closures:
- 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18, to 5 a.m. Monday, Oct. 21
- 9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1. to 5 a.m. Monday, Nov. 4
- 9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 15, to 5 a.m. Monday, Nov. 18 (tentative)
OPPORTUNITIES
Delta Heritage Forum Seats Filling Fast
Seats are filling fast for the Delta Heritage Forum, a free, full-day annual event that celebrates Delta stories, nurtures collaboration, and inspires new thinking and initiatives in the Delta heritage community.
The event will be held Nov. 15 at the Antioch Historical Society Museum. Attendance is free, but seating is limited.
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Nominate a Delta Leader (Deadline: Nov. 22)
Nominations and applications are being accepted for the 2025 Delta Leadership Program. The deadline is Nov. 22.
The program, operated by the Delta Protection Commission and Delta Leadership Foundation, consists of a series of intensive seminars held January through April. Participants also complete team projects to benefit the Delta.
The program targets potential or emerging leaders in the Delta from all walks of life – agriculture, law enforcement, local government, non-profit organizations, local business, and the tourism and hospitality sectors, among others.
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DELTA AGENCY MEETINGS
Delta Stewardship Council
The Delta Stewardship Council meets at 9:30 a.m. this Thursday, Sept. 26.
The agenda is posted here.
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Delta Protection Advisory Committee
The Delta Protection Advisory Committee meets at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1, in Walnut Grove.
The agenda is posted here.
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Not sure which Delta agency is which? This fact sheet (PDF) explains the missions and roles of the Delta Protection Commission, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy and the Delta Stewardship Council.
COMMUNITY EVENTS
 Sept. 28:
Brentwood: Rotary Club Craft Brew Festival - 40 breweries, food vendors, DJ music, activities. 21 and over only. 1-5 p.m. at 150 City Park Way.
Clarksburg: Second Annual Portuguese FESTAval - food trucks, wine tasting, cultural exhibits, and more. Noon-5 p.m. at the I.D.E.S. Portuguese Hall, 54113 S. River Road.
Pittsburg: Bike East Bay Group Ride - a group bicycle ride on the Delta De Anza Trail starting at the Bay Point/Pittsburg BART and ending at Antioch Bart. 11 a.m.-3 p.m., starting at 1700 W Leland Rd. Registration required.
Oct. 19 in Brentwood: Digs n’ Rigs - children of all ages can explore vehicles of all types! Food trucks will be on hand. Sponsored by the Brentwood Rotary Club and Los Medanos College. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Los Medanos Brentwood Campus, 1351 Pioneer Square.
Oct. 26 in Rio Vista: Fall Festival. 3-7 p.m. More information will be posted later on website.
Harmful Algal Blooms Report
 Here are the locations as of Friday, Sept. 20, of harmful algal bloom advisories in the Delta. Click on the button below for details and updates.
Danger advisories: Big Break Regional Shoreline boat launch, Contra Loma Reservoir, Discovery Bay - Willow Lake - Town Dock, and Discovery Bay Yacht Club Marina. Advice: STAY OUT OF THE WATER. Do not touch scum in the water or shore. Do NOT let pets go in the water, drink the water, or eat scum on the shore. Do not eat shellfish from this waterbody.
Warning advisories: Discovery Bay - Lighthouse Place and Cypress Channel, Discovery Bay - Reef Court and Reef Cove/Cypress Channel. Advice: NO SWIMMING. Stay away from algae and scum in the water. Do NOT let pets go in the water, drink the water, or eat scum on the shore. Do not eat shellfish from this waterbody.
Caution advisories (stay away from algae and scum in the water): San Joaquin River at Windmill Cove, Discovery Bay - Kellogg Creek Bridge at Newport Drive, Discovery Bay - Seal Way near gas station and Cypress Channel, Victoria Canal near Union Point, Clifton Court Forebay inlet, and Bethany Reservoir downstream of the Banks Pumping Plant. Advice: NO SWIMMING. Stay away from algae and scum in the water. Do NOT let pets go in the water, drink the water, or eat scum on the shore. Do not eat shellfish from this waterbody.
Visual observation advisories: Brookside Lane near Pine Lake Circle in Stockton, West Canal at Clifton Court Intake, Grant Line Canal near Old River, Old River downstream of the ORT Barrier. Advice: Stay away from algae and scum in the water. Do NOT let pets go in the water, drink the water, or eat scum on the shore. Keep Children away from algae. Do not eat shellfish from this waterbody.
Send us your Delta news, events, or photos:
submit@delta.ca.gov
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Delta Protection Commission
2101 Stone Blvd Suite 200, West Sacramento, CA 95691
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