The Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta is an example of an
inverted river delta, one of only a few worldwide. The fan-shaped
area of the delta converges downstream, rather than diverging,
as the two rivers are forced to exit the Central Valley through
the Coast Range via the narrow channel known as the Carquinez
Strait, which leads to the San Francisco Bay and ultimately
the Pacific Ocean through the Golden Gate.
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The
delta consists of a myriad of small natural and man-made
channels (locally called sloughs), creating a system of
isolated lowland islands and wetlands defined by dikes or
levees. The delta's so-called "islands" are not
really islands in the classic sense, but they are referred
to as such because they are completely surrounded by water
and are so isolated in many cases that they are accessible
only by boat, ferry or aircraft.
An extensive system of earthen levees has allowed wide-spread
farming throughout the delta. Its peat soil makes it one
of the most fertile agricultural areas in California and
arguably even the nation, contributing billions of dollars
to the state's economy. Farming of the peat bog, however,
also releases significant amounts of greenhouse gases making
the Delta one of the largest contributors to global warming
in California. Certain specialty crops, such as asparagus,
are grown in the delta in quantities unmatched anywhere
else in the United States.
The delta and its "Thousand Miles of Waterways"
are a recreation destination. The warm, breezy summers are
popular among water skiers and boaters and even the chilly,
foggy winters draw fishermen and hunters.
More
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