Welcome to the Delta

Welcome to the first edition of the Delta Beat, where the stories run deep and the history deeper.

Highway 160, also known as the River Road, runs parallel to the Sacramento River. Photo by Jah Mackey

Today, the Delta is a thriving recreation and tourist spot that hosts almost 13 million visitors every year. With more than 500,000 residents of its own, in 14 towns and villages in five counties, the Delta is accessible from five major highways—Highways 12, 160, 4, 5, and 220—in addition to three railroads and two deep-water shipping channels.

Water flowing through the Delta travels directly through six canals and/or pipelines to more than 1,800 agricultural users, who grow half the nation’s fruits and vegetables and produce one-quarter of its dairy foods. The heart of the Delta is the San Joaquin and Sacramento Rivers, as well as their numerous tributaries that flow between Pittsburg, Stockton and Sacramento.

The Delta and its 1,100 miles of waterways are formed by the confluence of the state’s two largest rivers—the Sacramento flowing south from its headwaters near Mt. Shasta, and the San Joaquin flowing north from its origins high in the southern Sierra Nevada. Joining the Sacramento and the San Joaquin are the Mokelumne and the Cosumnes Rivers, which constitute the Delta’s watershed, draining nearly 50 percent of the state’s runoff.

Chinese immigrants of the 1850s lived in the area and built the levee system—still in existence today—that allows the region to thrive. The town of Locke, built in 1915, is a living tribute to their efforts, sacrifice and commitment. Once the levee system was complete, many of the workers moved into the agricultural sector, working on farms and ranches in the area.

Nowadays, the Delta as a water resource is managed by the CALFED Bay-Delta Program, a state agency. CALFED administers a large Delta restoration program whose mission has four equal priorities: ecosystem restoration, water supply reliability, water quality and levee system integrity.

Delta Destinations

If you are looking for a road trip via car or motorcycle, I recommend filling up your gas tank in Pittsburg and taking Highway 4 to Stockton. In Stockton, you should plan to visit downtown and the river-view promenade adjacent to the new triple-A ballpark, home of the Stockton Ports. Once you have had your fun in Stockton, then jump on Interstate 5 North to Sacramento and check out Old Town and the historic train museum. To leave Sacramento, head over to West Sacramento and take Highway 160 south.

Highway 160, also known as the River Road, runs parallel to the Sacramento River and gives you a birds-eye view of life in the Delta as you pass through notable towns like Clarksburg, Locke and Walnut Grove. If you have an extra hour to kill, make a right turn on Grand Island Road, also known as Highway 220, in Walnut Grove and tour the Grand Island Mansion, which was built around 1917.

Discover the Delta

If you are looking for a more planned excursion, I suggest you stop by the Discover the Delta Foundation for great ideas. It’s located at Riverboat Marina on the Delta Loop just southeast of Isleton. Formed in 2005, the Foundation has a clear mission to increase awareness of the agricultural, cultural, historical, environmental and recreational value of the Delta so that it can be better understood, protected, enhanced and enjoyed.

“We strive to achieve our mission daily by helping residents and visitors become aware of the unique Delta through our marketing and public relations campaigns,” said Sue Schaber, the organization’s program manager. “We have also implemented ongoing volunteer programs to put as many Delta fun lovers as we can to work protecting and restoring the natural resources through donations, volunteerism and weekend work projects around the Delta.”

Schaber and Kathi Medford, the organization’s membership coordinator, are working diligently to provide expert assistance to all visitors of the Foundation. For more information, visit the Foundation’s website at www.discoverthedelta.org.

So, now that you have been formally introduced to the Delta and are intrigued by this backyard oasis, stay tuned to the Delta Beat for information about events, politics, recreational news and Delta hotspots.