The Delta is a tidal estuary, with changing salinity that has produced a diverse ecosystem including the Deltasmelt, a small fish found only there, and the Chinook salmon.
Regulations to protect smelt from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta water pumps have created a California water shortage, which is particularly acute in the Valley.
Its idea was to move the point at which salt and fresh water mix in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to a place that they opined was ideal for the smelt.