The Sacramento Delta is a beautiful area with birds, fish, and cattle grazing. It channels water to San Francisco and to 3 million acres of farmland in the San Joaquin Valley. It also contains telecom, electric, and gas lines as well as a of highways and railroads.
However, it is in constant danger of flooding because of its vast, aging network of raised earthen levees. A major earthquake there would be catastrophic for the state.
“It’s the ultimate Gordian knot. There is no other system in the world as complex as the Delta.” — Professor Ray Seed