Ducklings die as a river's flow dries up

[XemaSab]

What had been for the last six months a vibrant stream teeming with migrating waterfowl and shorebirds recently became a dry channel where vultures gorged themselves on ducklings that died when the flows dried up.

The discovery prompted calls for an investigation into the deaths of at least 20 cinnamon teal ducklings, 10 mallard ducklings and 20 adult mallards that had sought refuge in a shrinking pool of water in a concrete basin in the city of Industry, about 20 miles east of downtown Los Angeles.

It also raised questions about the place of nature in an urban water system in which virtually every drop is adjudicated and claimed by someone.

"The system does not include ducklings as part of the equation," said D.J. Waldie, spokesman for the city of Lakewood (Los Angeles County), which borders the river downstream from Industry.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/01/BA8G1223SB.DTL