Delta Economy

Outcome Performance Measure 5.9, Last updated: November 10, 2021 | About this Measure
Enhance the Delta's economic opportunity to support regional quality of life.

The Measure

Improvements in the Delta economy that include a mix of agriculture, tourism, recreation, commercial and other industries, as well as vital components of state and regional infrastructure expressed in the Regional Opportunity Index (ROI) within the Delta.

  • Expectations

    Delta economy measured by the Regional Opportunity Index (ROI) integrating economic, infrastructure, environmental, and social indicators are improving.

  • Performance Metrics

    • Regional Opportunity Index (ROI) for People and Place, in the Primary Zone and Secondary Zone (score), evaluated every five years.

Regional Opportunity Index - People

This graph shows the ROI-Place values for the Delta. These values are a relative measure of an area's human assets through educational levels, employment status, housing and transportation circumstances, health conditions, and civic engagement. Learn more about ROI.

Regional Opportunity Index - Place

This graph shows the ROI-Place values for the Delta. These values are a relative measure of an area's assets through a metric that combines quality of local schools, the state of the local economy, housing stock, environmental quality, availability and quality of health services, and local civic capacities. Learn more about ROI.

Next Data Update: The data will be evaluated in October of every year until there is an update to the ROI for the Delta. The Delta Protection Commission in 2019 funded a report by researchers from UC Davis, which provided information on a number of socio-economic indicators for the Delta.

A vital Delta economy supports a mix of agriculture, tourism, recreation, commercial, and other industries in the Delta, as well as vital components of state and regional infrastructure, and improving conditions for disadvantaged communities.

The Delta Protection Commission (DPC) worked with the UC Davis Center for Regional Change to apply the Regional Opportunity Index (ROI) to the Delta. ROI incorporates both a "people" component and a "place" component, integrating economic infrastructure, environmental, and social indicators into a comprehensive assessment of the factors driving opportunity. The goal of the ROI is to identify people and places with the greatest needs. Decision makers can use this information to target resources for fostering thriving communities for all Californians.  

ROI includes indicators for education, local economy, housing, transportation infrastructure, health care services and civic engagement and allows for comparison with regions of interest (local, regional, or state). Tracking this index will aid our understanding of Delta community needs.

Each chapter of the Delta plan includes strategies to achieve the goals of the plan. These strategies are general guidance on achieving the objective laid out in the plan and in the Delta Reform Act of 2009. Associated with these strategies are recommendations. The recommendations describe more specific and implementable actions to support the achievement of Delta Plan strategies. Strategies may also have associated performance measures. Delta Plan performance measures track progress in achieving desired outcomes for the Delta Plan. Below are the strategies and recommendations associated with this performance measure. 

Delta Plan Strategy
  • Sustain a Vital Delta Economy
Delta Plan Recommendations
  • Support the Ports of Stockton and West Sacramento
  • Plan for Delta Energy Facilities
  • Promote Value-added Crop Processing
  • Encourage Agritourism
  • Encourage Wildlife-friendly Farming
  • Plan for the Vitality and Preservation of Legacy Communities
  • Buy Rights of Way from Willing Sellers When Feasible
  • Provide Adequate Infrastructure
  • Plan for State Highways
  • Subsidence Reduction and Reversal
  • Provide New and Protect Existing Recreation Opportunities
  • Encourage Partnerships to Support Recreation and Tourism
  • Expand State Recreation Areas
  • Enhance Nature-based Recreation
  • Promote Boating Safety
  • Encourage Recreation on Public Lands
  • Enhance Opportunities for Visitor-serving Businesses
  • Provide Public Access on Appropriately-located Delta Levees

 

Metric

Evaluated every five years, Regional Opportunity Index for People and Place (ROI), in the Primary Zone and Secondary Zone (score).

Baseline

Measured as of 2012.

Target

Regional Opportunity Index for People and Place (score), within the Delta, increases by five percent by 2025.

Regional Opportunity Index (ROI), UC Davis Center for Regional Change - Access methodology and data sources

Delta Regional Opportunity Analysis, UC Davis Center for Regional Change - Access the ROI About the Data

The Council will synthesize and report ROI data from UC Davis Center for Regional Change for the Delta to help inform the status in sustaining a vital Delta economy.

For statewide data, weighted averages were calculated by population. For legal Delta values, weighted averages were calculated by population for census areas whose geographic centroid was within the legal Delta. For primary Delta values, weighted averages were calculated by population for census areas whose geographic centroid was within the primary Delta.

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