O Delta Smelt

O Delta Smelt
(sung to the music of “O Tannenbaum” or, for the rest of us, “O Christmas Tree.”)
(New lyrics by R.P.Edwards)


O Delta Smelt
O Delta Smelt
O how we love this fishy

O Delta Smelt
O Delta Smelt
O how we love this fishy

To heck with farmers water needs
We give you most, so you can breed

O Delta Smelt
O Delta Smelt
O how we love this fishy

The San Joaquin valley: A very fertile piece of real estate in central California where all kinds of neat agricultural stuff is (was) grown (grapes, cherries, nuts, fruit, etc). In the mid to late 80’s, before heading back east, my young family occupied some space there while we tried to raise a couple boys and, at the same time, squish some knowledge into our brains (Note: for those so inclined; make sure it’s “useful” knowledge). Anyway, being a lad who grew up in Connecticut, I was not expecting, among other things, the heat (110 degrees on some summer days! “But it’s dry heat,” placate the locals. Yeah, right). As I was saying, we lived there and, not being from farm country, I was intrigued by the large contraptions used for irrigation in this “no rain today” environment. In fact, until we moved to the middle, I didn’t know there were farmers who still solely depended on the overhead clouds for the wet stuff.

I presume by now you’ve heard of the plight of the growers in said valley. It seems that a little fishy, named the “Delta Smelt,” being a bit down in population, is apparently adversely effected by runoff from farmers fields as they do their “feed the world” thing. Some concerned Washington types determined that it’s better to give these oversized guppies a hand, rather than let the crops…drink. They nearly closed the spigot. And the farmers…and the country…suffer.

Perhaps “we the people” should get involved. Perhaps this is just another opportunity to remind certain entities that their “authority” is not innate. It, as always, is given to be used, and not abused. Go ahead, put a few “smelt” in your tank, but, when your zeal threatens the livelihood of thousands, and the stomachs of millions…well, I say, it’s time for your lease…to expire.