(a) The Legislature further finds that:

(1) The Suisun Marsh is located where the saltwater of the Pacific Ocean and the freshwater of the Sacramento and San Joaquin River Delta meet and mix; and because of its location, the marsh provides a transition zone between salt- and fresh-water habitats, creating a unique diversity of fish and wildlife habitats.

(2) Water quality in the marsh is dependent on the salinity of the water in sloughs of the marsh, which depends in turn on the amount of freshwater flowing in from the delta.

(3) Numerous upstream storage facilities, together with diversions of water from the delta and tributary streams of the delta, have substantially reduced the amount of freshwater flowing into the marsh from the delta.

(4) Further substantial diversions are planned, and these diversions will have adverse impacts in the marsh through increased salinity intrusion unless adequate mitigation measures are taken.

(5) Possible mitigation measures, including the development of other sources of freshwater for the marsh, have been under study by a variety of state and federal agencies.

(6) Protection of the marsh from salinity intrusion, particularly protection through the development of alternative sources of freshwater for the marsh, cannot be considered independently of other issues relating to the management of California’s water resources, and discussions are now underway among various agencies of the state and federal governments to resolve such issues.

(b) The Legislature, therefore, declares that it expects any resolution of these issues, whether by written agreement, federal legislation, state legislation, or any combination thereof, will protect the marsh from the adverse impacts of salinity intrusion and from any other significant adverse impacts.

(Added by Stats. 1977, Ch. 1155.)