DIXON, Calif. (AP) — California’s historic drought could wipe out a tiny, endangered fish that’s played an outsized role in the state’s water wars.
The delta smelt lives in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, which supplies water to Central Valley farms and millions of Southern California residents.
The finger-sized fish has been in trouble for years, but the four-year drought is helping to push the smelt to the brink of extinction.
Farmers say too much water has been wasted to protect the lowly fish — water that could be used to grow crops and fill reservoirs.
Environmentalists say the sensitive species needs protection because it’s a key indicator of the delta’s health.
A University of California, Davis lab is breeding delta smelt in captivity to ensure its survival.
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