A Call for Clean Water
there is movement. The state of California this year began work on a major 4,100-acre Species Conservation Habitat Project at the south end of the sea, the first part of its 10-year management plan issued in 2018. Michael Cohen, senior researcher with the Pacific Institute, called the state’s restoration work “a huge step forward” because it is the first time a project of its kind has turned dirt. The Pacific Institute monitors the sea’s daily fluctuation and has long advocated for a durable management plan.
The state also is examining proposals to bring in ocean water to the sea, which is twice as salty as the ocean. Meanwhile, growing interest in extracting the naturally occurring lithium beneath the crusty desert ground near the sea offers an enticing economic opportunity that could bring a windfall to fund restoration projects.
Funding Opportunities
The Salton Sea has benefited from millions of dollars in past budgetary allocations and bond funding, but the money has never been enough to yield visible progress. That’s changing, and the queue of potential new funding is impressive. Garcia is carrying a bond measure in the state Legislature intended for the June 2022 ballot that includes $240 million for sea-related projects. The state budget enacted earlier in July does not contain any new funding explicitly for the sea, but it does include $730 million for water and drought activities, some of which could be earmarked for the sea.
On the federal side, Ruiz is carrying legislation to increase the amount the Bureau of Reclamation is able to spend at the sea from $10 million to $250 million. Ruiz’ colleague, Rep. Juan Vargas (D-San Diego), is moving a bill that authorizes $3.2 million for various Salton Sea projects.
Species Conservation Habitat
The Species Conservation Habitat (SCH) Project is part of the 10-year Plan for implementing projects around the Salton Sea to develop an environment with suitable habitat for maintaining aquatic and avian wildlife, and create areas to minimize fine particle dust emissions. The SCH Project area encompasses approximately 3,770 acres of exposed lake bed, and spans part of the New River, a tributary to the Salton Sea, and is located about eight miles northeast of the town of Westmorland in Imperial County.
The project is aimed at preventing further degradation of air quality and habitat and will anchor phase one of the state’s Salton Sea Management Program, which focuses on constructing wetlands and other projects to reduce exposed lakebed and health hazards posed by airborne dust over 50,000 acres of playa.