Death By Freshwater

Marine wildlife

Millions of small marine animals are dying as torrents of fresh water from this winter’s storms race into San Francisco Bay.

The fresh flows replenish habitat for most fish and other animals that live in low-salt estuaries. But the flooding also kills off salt-loving ocean species that colonize the Bay.

Scientists say the mass deaths are a natural event, part of the evolution of animal life in the estuary.

“There has been so much fresh water that in some places it will kill off every marine animal that can’t move long distances,” said Terry Gosliner, a marine biologist at the California Academy of Sciences.

Over decades, as fresh water has been diverted from the SacramentoSan Joaquin Delta to farms and cities, increasing numbers of marine animals have made homes in the Bay.

Now, deprived of saltwater, native clams, worms, sea urchins, octopus, sea anemone, thatched barnacles, California mussels, snails and some plankton are dying by the millions.