Artist Statement

Delta Views

The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta region is an approximately 1100 square mile area. It forms a triangle extending from Sacramento to the north, dropping on its east side through Stockton down to Tracy in the south, and converging between Tracy and Sacramento on the Westside with the San Francisco bay at Pittsburg. The Delta is supplied by the Sacramento River at the north end and the San Joaquin River to the southeast.

Since the mid 19th century, this natural inverted river delta has been transformed through a series of man-made levees into islands of fertile agricultural land. Besides agriculture, its uses include transportation, recreation, hunting and fishing, natural habitat (important especially for migratory waterfowl), and urban development. Historic towns within the Delta include Locke, Walnut Grove, and Isleton. Half of the water needs of California’s human population depend on the Sierra waters flowing through the Delta.

This exhibit of images represents selections from an ongoing three-year documentation of the Delta by the photographer Terry Holter. Terry was a professional photographer in San Francisco for 20 years. He lives in Sacramento and is currently devoting his photographic efforts to personal projects.