CA Dept. of Water Resources acquires Delta island
By: Matt Weiser

The California Department of Water Resources has acquired Prospect Island in the Delta from the federal government.

The 1,253-acre island at the southern end of the Yolo Bypass was the scene of a gruesome fish kill in November 2007 after thousands of fish became stranded on the flooded island by a levee repair project.

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation planned a restoration project on the island, which is considered good habitat for fish in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, because its elevation allows tidal flooding. Money for the project never materialized, maintenance lagged and the island suffered repeated levee breaks during storms.

After the fish kill, Reclamation sought to rid itself of the island, and DWR acquired it on Jan. 7 at no charge from the federal government. DWR plans its own restoration project, though when that starts remains uncertain, said Stephani Spaar, an environmental program manager at the department.

In the meantime, the island remains closed to public access.