One of the main issues with the Port of Sacramento is that the Deep Water Ship Channel needs to be regularly dredged to maintain an adequate depth for oceangoing ships. This dredging process presents a number of problems, including how it impacts the water quality. One measure of quality is the salinity of the water. As the channel is deepened, more salt water from the bay enters the system to maintain sea level, which is an issue because the affected area includes drinking water intakes. These intakes require that the water be below a certain maximum salinity level that can be exceeded due to the dredging. The salinity of the water can also have negative effects on local fisheries.