1.   In San Francisco Bay and adjoining wetlands, the heavy freshwater runoff flushes out the Bay and reduces the salinity level, especially in the South Bay.

2.   One of the immediate short-term concerns is the heavy runoff from farm lands, which means increased nitrates that promote algae blooms such as brown tide.

3.   That means unusually heavy runoff, which we are still dealing with, though a cool spring has held back the flooding torrents of some years.

4.   The heavy flows are being released from dams above, which are making space for expected heavy runoff from snowmelt.