2019 Annual Report on the Salton Sea Management Program

California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) | March 1st, 2019

On November 7, 2017, the State Water Resources Control Board adopted an order accepting an agreement defining the state’s commitment to stabilize and manage the Salton

On November 7, 2017, the State Water Resources Control Board adopted an order accepting an agreement defining the state’s commitment to stabilize and manage the Salton Sea to protect public health and critical Pacific flyway habitat.  Order WR 2017-0134 outlined the State Water Board’s oversight role in monitoring and ensuring progress toward the goals of the Salton Sea Management Plan (SSMP), which sets annual milestones for habitat restoration and dust-suppression projects over the next 10 years. 

2020 Annual Report on the Salton Sea Management Program

California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) | February 21st, 2020

Improving air quality and creating habitat at the Salton Sea are key priorities for Governor Gavin Newsom and the California Natural Resources Agency. The Sea’s continu

Improving air quality and creating habitat at the Salton Sea are key priorities for Governor Gavin Newsom and the California Natural Resources Agency. The Sea’s continuing decline in elevation and resulting exposure of lakebed negatively impact surrounding communities and reduce remaining habitat for fish and wildlife. The California Natural Resources Agency, the California Department of Water Resources, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (together, the State Team) are focused on implementing the Salton Sea Management Program’s (SSMP’s) 10-Year Plan to improve conditions by constructing 30,000 acres of habitat and dust suppression projects around the Sea.

2020 Review Water Quality Standards for Salinity Colorado River System

Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum (CRBSCF) | October 1st, 2020

This document is a review of the water quality standards for salinity in the Colorado River. Section 303 of the Clean Water Act amendments to the Federal Water Pollution

This document is a review of the water quality standards for salinity in the Colorado River. Section 303 of the Clean Water Act amendments to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act require that water quality standards are reviewed every three years. Accordingly, the seven-state Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum has reviewed the existing state-adopted and EPA-approved water quality standards for salinity consisting of numeric criteria and a Plan of Implementation. Upon adoption by the Forum, this Review will be submitted to the governors of each of the Basin States for inclusion in their state water quality standards.

2021 Annual Report on the Salton Sea Management Program

California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) | March 31st, 2021

The Salton Sea Management Program (SSMP) made progress in 2020 toward reducing exposed lakebed and creating habitat at the Salton Sea (Sea). Even amid challenges posed by

The Salton Sea Management Program (SSMP) made progress in 2020 toward reducing exposed lakebed and creating habitat at the Salton Sea (Sea). Even amid challenges posed by the global COVID-19 pandemic, delivering projects that improve conditions for residents as well as wildlife at the Sea remains a key priority for the Newsom Administration. The SSMP worked closely with local, State, Tribal and federal partners to advance important work in 2020 and is poised to build on that momentum in 2021.

2022 Annual Report on the Salton Sea Management Program

California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) | February 29th, 2024

The Salton Sea Management Program (SSMP) made significant progress in 2021. It broke ground on the largest restoration project in the Sea’s history, advanced with partn

The Salton Sea Management Program (SSMP) made significant progress in 2021. It broke ground on the largest restoration project in the Sea’s history, advanced with partners several other community-oriented restoration projects around the Sea, started important vegetation management work on exposed lakebed to reduce dust emissions, and secured commitment from state leaders for an additional $220 million in funding. This was made possible through partnerships with many other entities and by growing the SSMP Team, including several critical new hires.

2022 Drought Response Operations Plan

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) | April 20th, 2022

2023 Annual Report on the Salton Sea Management Program

California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) | March 31st, 2023

2022 was a year of visible progress and momentum for the Salton Sea Management Program (SSMP) and partners. The first large-scale restoration project in the Sea’s histo

2022 was a year of visible progress and momentum for the Salton Sea Management Program (SSMP) and partners. The first large-scale restoration project in the Sea’s history achieved major construction milestones, while community-oriented projects and vegetation enhancement made headway around the Sea in collaboration with state, federal and local entities.

2025 Annual Report on the Salton Sea Management Program

California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) | March 31st, 2025

The State's Salton Sea restoration and management efforts continued to show significant, demonstrable progress in 2024 – achieving key milestones and accelerating the p

The State's Salton Sea restoration and management efforts continued to show significant, demonstrable progress in 2024 – achieving key milestones and accelerating the pace of critical project delivery functions. With new federal funding, the Salton Sea Management Program (SSMP) broke ground to expand what was already the largest restoration project in the Sea’s history, and further expansion is being initiated to suppress dust and restore habitat on up to 9,000 acres at the south end of the Sea. In other areas along the Sea, over 1,300 acres — spanning roughly five miles of shoreline — now host native vegetation recently planted to suppress dust over the coming decades.

A Common Vision for the Colorado River System: Toward a Framework for Sustainability

Water and Tribes Initiative | October 5th, 2020

A Literature Review and Hypsometric Analysis to Support Decisions on Trout Management Flows on the Colorado River Downstream from Glen Canyon Dam

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) | August 7th, 2024

Fish stranding has been studied in select rivers worldwide, often with the purpose of determining how to mitigate adverse effects of dam operations on highly valued salmo

Fish stranding has been studied in select rivers worldwide, often with the purpose of determining how to mitigate adverse effects of dam operations on highly valued salmon and trout populations. However, where a reduction in trout population size is desired by resource managers, as is the case downstream of the Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River, flow manipulations termed trout management flows (TMFs) may be used to optimize fish stranding and mortality. To inform the design and implementation of potential future TMFs, we reviewed relevant literature to identify key factors that influence fish stranding. We found that key factors were highly interdependent and site-specific, but general trends suggest that down-ramping (decreasing flow) at rapid rates in daytime during the late spring to summer emergence period would lead to stranding of age-0 rainbow trout in shallow shoreline habitat. A hypsometric analysis was then used to predict stranding risk for age-0 rainbow trout in Glen Canyon for a range of TMFs, which incorporated existing bathymetric data and flow and habitat suitability models. Our results indicate that a TMF with a steady high flow ranging from 12,000 to 16,000 cubic feet per second (ft3/s) combined with a minimum flow ranging from 3,000 to 5,000 ft3/s may effectively strand age-0 fish while also minimizing risk to water storage in Lake Powell and other resources. This strategy implemented under normal hydropeaking operations was predicted to lead to a substantive stranding risk when paired with low flows of 5,000 ft3/s, and especially 3,000 ft3/s. However, there remains uncertainty associated with elements of implementing an effective TMF downstream from Glen Canyon Dam. The main uncertainties include (1) the down-ramp rate that maximizes stranding of age-0 trout, (2) the duration of drawdown to maximize stranding mortality while minimizing impact to downstream resources, (3) duration of high flows required for age-0 fish to colonize newly created shoreline habitat (this is only for certain TMF hydrographs), (4) number of repetitions of TMF cycles to minimize compensatory survival response, and (5) recruitment threshold of both rainbow and brown trout populations to trigger TMF implementation.