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Land Use & Resource Management Plan for the Primary Zone of the Delta — Recreation & Access

The Delta is a unique geographic region which provides opportunities for water-oriented recreation, such as boating, and resource-oriented recreation, such as fishing and hunting. Many of the users are residents of communities in the Secondary Zone and beyond; some are local residents. Boaters come from the greater Bay Area and from other parts of the State to visit the Delta. Many visitors come from out of the area and rent houseboats from local marinas. There are no current studies which document for the entire Delta, the number of recreational users, length of visit, dollars spent per visitor day, age, sex or ethnic background of visitors, or type of facilities needed to meet present and future visitor needs.

Most of the recreation facilities are provided through private marinas. Several thousand boat berths are located in the Primary Zone, almost equally divided between Contra Costa, Sacramento, and San Joaquin Counties. Private facilities also provide launching facilities, RV and tent camping, picnicking, restaurants, and bait and tackle shops. Waterskiing and riding Personal Water Craft (PWC)* are popular water-oriented activities.

Public parks are limited in number. There are five fishing access/launching facilities owned by Department of Fish and Game and managed by Sacramento and Yolo Counties. San Joaquin County provides land and water access at Westgate Park. Brannan Island State Park provides: boat launching; camping; swimming; nature interpretation; and wind surfing.

Hunting occurs mainly on private lands and clubs; some hunting is allowed on State-owned lands and water areas. Facilities for Delta residents are located in the towns and at local schools. Locally-sponsored festivals in Isleton, Walnut Grove, and Courtland bring visitors into the Delta during the summer months.

Most of the Delta land areas are privately owned and used for agriculture. Some recreational users abuse private lands by littering, trespassing, picking fruit or vegetables from the fields, vandalizing pumps or other farm equipment, hunting or fishing in violation of State laws, or by driving on unpaved levee roads not suitable for automobile use.

Bank fishing is a popular Delta activity with few formal support facilities. The fisherman park alongside and on public and private roads, occasionally creating a safety hazard. Virtually no garbage or restroom facilities are available.

Concerns have been raised that boating activities create vessel wakes that damage levees, and that boating and PWC activity disturbs wildlife living in the sloughs and waterways. There is no regulation of the number of vessels using the Delta waterways and there is concern that some areas of the Delta have reached maximum capacity for some water-oriented recreational activities. For example, quiet boat fishing does not mix with PWC activity or waterskiing.

Protection of public safety and compliance with boating and fish and game laws are carried out by peace officers in a number of agencies including Coast Guard, State Department of Parks and Recreation, State Department of Fish and Game, and County Sheriffs' Marine Patrols (see page 50). Due to financial cutbacks, most County marine patrol programs have been reduced.

New recreational facilities could be provided at low cost on publicly-owned land where those lands will be supervised. Examples include: pedestrian access on publicly-owned levees adjacent to Brannan Island State Recreation Area; construction of new visitor facilities, interpretive facilities and trails at the proposed Stone Lake National Wildlife Refuge; and pedestrian trails, visitor facilities, and facilities to allow access from the water to the land at Delta Meadows River Park.

As local governments authorize new or remodeled private commercial recreation facilities, use of appropriate design can minimize conflicts between Delta user groups and provide stronger identity for Delta facilities.

*"Personal Water Craft" (PWC) is the general term for a broad range of small, powered boats that typically carry one or two persons, and are popularly known by registered tradenames such as Jet Ski, Ski Doo, etc.

Goal: To promote continued recreational use of the land and waters of the Delta; to ensure that needed facilities that allow such uses are constructed, maintained, and supervised; to protect landowners from unauthorized recreational uses on private lands; and to maximize dwindling public funds for recreation by promoting public-private partnerships and multiple use of Delta lands.

Recreation and Access Findings:
  • F-1. Water-oriented recreation has been popular in the Delta since the late 1930's and 1940's. A 1980 report prepared for Department of Water Resources estimated 12 million recreation days annually since 1977. Most recreation use occurs late spring through early fall, although recreation activities occur year-round. There are no current, Deltawide user statistics available.
  • F-2. Population of the Primary Zone continues to drop from its population highs in the early 1900's. Population in cities and areas around the Delta (Fairfield, Davis, Sacramento, Lodi, Stockton, West Sacramento, Galt, Laguna/Elk Grove, Lathrop, Tracy, Brentwood, Antioch, and Pittsburg) continue to increase dramatically. Over 21,000 acres of agricultural land in the Secondary Zone (8 percent) were converted to urban uses between 1976 and 1993, a 50 percent increase in urban use.
  • F-3. Studies show that most people who recreate in the Delta live within a 40 mile radius of the Primary Zone (Bay Area-Yuba City/Marysville-Highway 49-Turlock) and reside in Contra Costa, San Joaquin, Sacramento, Alameda, and Solano Counties. The rest live within a 100 mile radius (Red Bluff-Tahoe-Fresno).
  • F-4. The unique recreational aspect of the Delta is the extensive network of waterways. Many waterways are owned by the State of California and are under the supervision of State agencies, especially the State Lands Commission and the Department of Fish and Game. Many waterways are dredger cuts which were excavated to provide materials for levee construction. Dredger cuts inundated with navigable waters may be used by the public for navigation.
  • F-5. The Delta waterways are recognized as valuable habitat for resident and migratory species, including fish, amphibians, birds, and mammals.
  • F-6. Some recreational activities are detrimental to habitat values; such as those that create loud noises, create waves or wakes; or disturb sediments. Recreational boating adversely impacts the stability of some levees through creation of wakes increasing costs of maintenance. Wake erosion also adversely impacts wildlife habitat areas, such as channel islands.
  • F-7. Most of the existing recreational opportunities are provided by the many private marinas. Marinas include support facilities (restrooms and pumpout facilities), launch ramps, boat storage, sales and repair, boat and houseboat rentals, bait shops, picnic areas, camping, RV camping, restaurants, and markets.
  • F-8. Marinas are located throughout Sacramento, Contra Costa, and San Joaquin Counties. Marinas are clustered in several locations within the Delta, notably Bethel Island (Contra Costa County) and Lower Andrus Island (Sacramento County).A total of almost 11,000 berths exist in the Legal Delta; about 3,500 each in Sacramento, San Joaquin and Contra Costa Counties, about 350 in Solano County, and about 150 in Yolo County. Approximately 4,000 are located in Delta cities, the remainder in the Counties. Approximately 40 percent are located in the Primary Zone. Approximately 60 percent are located in the Secondary Zone.
  • F-9. Currently, Sacramento County is reviewing or has approved over 500 new berths and Contra Costa County is reviewing a new 341-berth marina at Discovery Bay West and a 24-berth marina at Bethel Island.
  • F-10. The marina permit application process is long, expensive and difficult due to: difficulty in obtaining upland sites and leases for underwater lands, land ownership issues, possible impacts to the environment including rare and endangered fish and plant species, limitations on dredging, and protection of riparian vegetation.
  • F-11. In the Primary Zone, existing public recreation and access facilities are limited in number and include: five fishing/launching access points owned by Department of Fish and Game and managed by Sacramento and Yolo Counties, fishing access at Clifton Court Forebay, White Slough Wildlife Area, Brannan Island State Recreation Area, Delta Meadows River Park (minimal improvements), San Joaquin County's Westgate Landing Park, and White Slough Wildlife Area.
  • F-12. In the Primary Zone, proposed public facilities include: trails and an environmental education center at the Stone Lake National Wildlife Refuge; trails at Yolo Bypass Wetlands project; future improvements at Brannan Island State Recreation Area and Delta Meadows River Park, and possible improvements on the Southern Pacific Railroad right-of-way between Freeport and Hood; public access and recreation components of Department of Water Resources's North and South Delta projects.
  • F-13. In the Secondary Zone, existing public recreation and access facilities provide access to Delta waterways. These facilities include: Antioch fishing piers; launch ramp, fishing pier, and Sandy Beach Park in Rio Vista; leveetop trails and Garcia Bend Launch Ramp in City of Sacramento; trails, small boat launching, and educational center at Cosumnes Preserve in Sacramento County; and in San Joaquin County: White Slough Fishing Access, Buckley Cove Marina Park, Fritz Grupe Park, Channel Boat Ramp Park, Louis Park, Dos Reis County Park, Mossdale Crossing Park and Oak Grove Regional Park.
  • F-14. In the Secondary Zone, proposed public recreation and access facilities include: waterfront improvements and riverfront access in the Southport project in West Sacramento; City of Sacramento public golf course; new recreational vehicle park in Isleton; extensive riverfront access in Gold Rush City project (Stewart Tract) in the City of Lathrop; extensive riverfront access, marina, and two golf courses in Mountain House project in San Joaquin County; Delta Environmental Education Center and trails near Jersey Island in Contra Costa County; riverfront access in the Delta Cove project in Antioch; public golf course on Bishop Tract in San Joaquin County; a soccer complex near the Lodi sewage treatment plant. Five cities may receive applications for seven new marinas.
  • F-15. The most popular Delta recreational activities are boating and fishing. Fishing takes place on the water and from the levee banks. Other popular activities include: windsurfing, waterskiing, PWC activity, camping, hunting, attending special events, bicycling, and sightseeing.
  • F-16. Bank fishing takes place on the sides of levees adjacent to public roadways. The areas alongside the roadways used for parking and the levees belong to individual landowners or to Reclamation Districts, not the County or the State. While this "informal" use has persisted for many years, some landowners have had to prohibit access to certain levees where irresponsible or abusive use, littering, camping, and other activities have put the landowner, the levees, or agriculture in jeopardy.
  • F-17. Water sports use different sizes and types of watercraft traveling at different speeds. To address the public safety concern raised by recreational users and Delta residents alike, the State and Counties have adopted and posted speed limits and no wake zones around docks and marinas. These regulations, and other boating safety laws, are enforced by the County Sheriffs' and Cities' Marine Patrols.
  • F-18. Law enforcement personnel in the Department of Fish and Game and Department of Parks and Recreation also enforce State and local laws.
  • F-19. Public funds are extremely limited for maintenance of existing facilities or construction of new facilities.
  • F-20. Negative impacts of uncontrolled public access in the Delta are the incidences of trespass, vandalism, littering, poaching, destruction of habitat, and fires.
Recreation and Access Policies:
  • P-1. Where public funds are limited, local governments shall promote maintenance and supervision of existing public recreation areas over construction of new public facilities.
  • P-2. To minimize impacts to agriculture and to wildlife habitat, local governments shall encourage expansion of existing private water-oriented commercial recreational facilities over construction of new facilities. Local governments shall ensure any new recreational facilities will be adequately supervised and maintained.
  • P-3. Local governments shall develop siting criteria for recreation projects which will ensure minimal adverse impacts on: agricultural land uses, levees, and public drinking water supply intakes, and identified sensitive wetland and habitat areas.
  • P-4. Local governments shall improve public safety on Delta waterways through enforcement of local, State, and federal laws.
  • P-5. Local governments shall encourage provision of publicly funded amenities in or adjacent to private facilities, particularly if the private facility will agree to supervise and manage the facility (fishing pier, overlook, picnic area) thus lowering the long-term cost to the public.
  • P-6. Local governments shall support multiple uses of Delta agricultural lands, such as seasonal use for hunting, or improved parking and access sites.
  • P-7. Local governments shall support improved access for bank fishing along State highways and county roads where safe and adequate parking can be provided and with acquisition of proper rights-of-access from the landowner. Adequate policing, garbage cleanup, sanitation facilities, and fire suppression for such access shall be provided.
  • P-8. New, renovated, or expanded marinas shall include adequate restrooms, pumpout facilities, trash containers, oily waste disposal facilities, and other facilities necessary to meet needs of marina tenants. Use fees may be charged for the use of these facilities but such fees shall not exceed the cost of maintenance.
  • P-9. Local governments shall encourage new recreation facilities that take advantage of the Delta's unique characteristics.
  • Recreation and Access Recommendations:
  • R-1. Support a scientifically-valid survey of current recreational uses and current and future recreation needs in the Delta to determine type, number, and location of needed recreation facilities. Study needs for trails, unified directional signage, and billboard controls, in the Delta.
  • R-2. Support a scientifically-valid study of the carrying capacity of the Delta waterways for recreation activities without degradation of habitat values which minimize impacts to agriculture or levees.
  • R-3. New projects in the Secondary Zone, adjacent to the Primary Zone, should include commercial and public recreation facilities which allow safe, supervised access to and along the Delta waterways (pedestrian and bike trails, launch ramps including small boat launch ramps, windsurfing access, overlooks, nature observation areas, interpretive information, picnic areas, etc.).
  • R-4. Marina owners and operators should take advantage of grants available from the Department of Boating and Waterways to fund new pumpouts.
  • R-5. To protect rare and endangered fish species from adverse impacts of poaching, the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) should study the feasibility and value of banning night fishing in the Delta.
  • R-6. State and federal projects in the Primary and Secondary Zones should include appropriate recreation and/or public access components to the extent consistent with project purposes and with available funding. State and federal agencies should consider private or user group improvements on publicly-owned lands to provide facilities (example: windsurf access at Brannan Island State Recreation Area).
  • R-7. Local governments should develop design guidelines for new or enlarged recreation facilities to protect adjacent agricultural land uses.
  • R-8. Local governments should develop funding sources to provide adequate enforcement of existing laws to protect health, safety and welfare of Delta recreational users.
  • R-9. To provide adequate dilution of any potential discharges, new marinas or marina expansions should not be permitted within 1.5 kilometers (0.9 miles) of any drinking water intake located in an open waterway, nor within any waterway or dead-end slough that terminates in a drinking water intake. Projects not meeting this criteria should be considered on a case-by-case basis to determine if a proposed project can be mitigated to provide comparable effectiveness.
  • R-10. New, expanded, or renovated marinas should minimize toxic discharges (including paint, paint chips, chemicals, heavy metals, tribytulin, oil, grease, and fuel) and prohibit discharges of untreated sewage as required under local, State, and federal laws and regulations.