WEST SACRAMENTO: For the last few months, the Delta Protection Commission and the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy have been working with AugustineIdeas on a project to promote the Delta as a destination, highlighting the details that make the Delta unique – the cultural significance, historic treasures, rich agriculture, diverse recreational opportunities and ecological value, just to name a few.
After hours of research, focus groups, interviews and design, the first round of concepts illuminated conflict around a very basic issue: what do we call the Delta when speaking to non-locals? The responses to the initial designs established two camps – those who support calling it The California Delta, and others who insist on The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. As consistency is crucial to any marketing campaign, the Delta Protection Commission and the Delta Conservancy have resolved to place the matter before the ultimate authority – the Delta residents, businesses, promoters and enthusiasts themselves.
So what’s in a name? Here are some of the pros and cons offered by area residents:
California
PRO: The word “California” has worldwide name recognition and highly positive prior associations in recreation, nature, fun and vacation concepts. Also, The California Delta is already used in signage throughout the region.
CON: Some are concerned that use of “California Delta” implies the Delta water belongs as much to out-of-area Californians as to locals.
Sacramento-San Joaquin
PRO: This designation is geographically correct – deltas are named after the rivers that form them, hence the Nile Delta and the Mississippi Delta. There is no California River.
CON: Both “Sacramento” and “San Joaquin” are far less well-known outside the state. This name also implies that there may be other deltas in California, and this one may not be the one you heard about before.
To address the question, the Delta Protection Commission has created a public response survey that can be found at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DeltaName. All interested members of the public are invited to provide their input from now until Monday, July 7, when the survey will be concluded and the results announced.
2 comments
Keep the name! Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta identifies where the Delta is located. Why make it a generic state wide location. Is it so the southern part of the state won’t feel so bad when they steal our water?!
I agree with you Kathleen, why don’t they let San Francisco recycle waste water to use for their crops instead of stealing our clean drinking water. No reason why this could not happen. Oakley already does it for the parks here, and landscaping in the city of Oakley. Seems to work just fine here in Oakley.
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