Salton Sea Restoration Fund The State Has Not Fully Funded a Restoration Plan and the State’s Future Mitigation Costs Are Uncertain

California State Auditor | November 1st, 2013

The Salton Sea, located in Riverside and Imperial counties in Southern California, is the State’s largest inland lake. The Salton Sea was formed in 1905 when Colorado

The Salton Sea, located in Riverside and Imperial counties in Southern California, is the State’s largest inland lake. The Salton Sea was formed in 1905 when Colorado River floodwater breached an irrigation canal being constructed in the Imperial Valley; it has since been primarily fed by agricultural drain water. According to experts, the Salton Sea serves as an important fishery and wildlife habitat and is a major stopping point for migratory birds along the Pacific flyway. However, beginning in 2003, a series of agreements know collectively as the Quantification Settlement Agreement (QSA), between the State, local water agencies, and other entities have required, among other things, a water transfer that has reduced the amount of water that flows into the Salton Sea (water transfer). To mitigate the effects of the water transfer, the QSA requires one of the local water agencies that is a party to the agreement to provide additional water (mitigation water) to the Salton Sea for 15 years, from 2003 to 2017. Experts anticipate that when the Salton Sea stops receiving this mitigation water, the water transfer will cause profound negative environmental impacts, including the loss of fishery habitat, exposure of soils to wind erosion, and declines in bird species because of the loss of food.

Salton Sea Study Status Report

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) | January 9th, 2003

The Salton Sea is located in a closed basin in Riverside and Imperial Counties in southern California, south of Indio and north of El Centro. The Sea is situated

The Salton Sea is located in a closed basin in Riverside and Imperial Counties in southern California, south of Indio and north of El Centro. The Sea is situated in a closed basin, more than 200 feet below sea level and has no natural outlet. Although lakes have existed in this basin in the past, the current body of water formed in 1905 when a levee break along the Colorado River caused flows from the Colorado River to enter the basin for about 18 months. Since 1905, the Sea has fluctuated in size with varying inflow, and it recently has had a surface area of 365 square miles. A balance between inflowing water and evaporation sustains the Sea. With no outlet, any salts that are dissolved in the inflow are trapped, although some do precipitate. Salt concentrations are currently about 44,000 milligrams per liter (mg/L), or about 25 percent higher than ocean water. Salinity will continue to rise under current conditions. It is highly likely that in the future, the inflow to the Sea will be less than it has been in the past. A reduction in inflow would cause the Sea to shrink and cause salinity to rise faster than it would have without a reduction in inflow. A gradual increase in salinity and its consequences was recognized soon after the Sea was formed. Formulation of salinity control measures was reported as early as the mid-1950s. Since then, many alternatives have been proposed and analyzed. The alternatives presented in this report were developed to address the goals contained in the Salton Sea Reclamation Act of 1998. The Act directs the Secretary of the Interior to study options for managing the salinity and elevation of the Sea in order to preserve fish and wildlife health and enhance opportunities for recreation use and economic development while continuing the Sea’s use as a reservoir for irrigation drainage. The Act required that certain options be analyzed and required consideration of reduced inflows down to 800,000 acre-feet or less per year. Consideration of any option that included importation of water from the Colorado River was prohibited. Reporting requirements of the Act were met on January 27, 2000, when Secretary Babbit forwarded a draft EIS/EIR and several other reports to Congress. Since then, analyses have continued on options presented in those reports and on new options. The development and transmission of this report is not required by law. This report provides a summary of the current status of the evaluation of alternatives currently under consideration. The primary purpose of the planning study was to evaluate possible methods of controlling the salinity and elevation of the Sea. The study also includes elements that address other issues at the Sea, such as high levels of nutrients. Fourteen alternatives providing a range of salinity and elevation control benefits and costs are presented in this report. For ease of presentation and understanding, alternatives were divided into the following categories: Salinity control alternatives Salinity and elevation control alternatives Causeway/barrier alternatives (the terms causeway and barrier are interchangeable in this report) Specialized diking alternatives Methods to control salinity and elevation include pumping water out of the Sea with discharge to some remote location; pumping water out of the Sea with discharge to local desalting plants or evaporation ponds, possibly in combination with enhanced evaporation systems that would require disposal of salt residues near or within the Sea; and dividing the Sea through the construction of dikes so that one portion serves to concentrate and isolate salts from the remainder of the Sea. Each alternative is discussed briefly below. The present value cost estimates for each alternative are also mentioned below. Present value cost includes the initial construction cost plus funds that would need to be set aside today to fund operation, maintenance, and energy over a 30-year period. This status report makes no recommendation regarding future action relating to restoration of the Salton Sea. In fact, given that all of the alternatives identified to date are extremely expensive, it is difficult, if not impossible, to make any recommendation without a decision by Congress regarding the relative importance of the Sea in light of other pressing national priorities.

Shrinking lakes, air pollution, and human health: Evidence from California's Salton Sea

Science of the Total Environment (Elsevier) | January 7th, 2020

Due to increased water withdrawals and ongoing climate change, many inland lakes around the world are shrinking and dry lake beds can be significant sources of particulat

Due to increased water withdrawals and ongoing climate change, many inland lakes around the world are shrinking and dry lake beds can be significant sources of particulate matter air pollution. Using a natural experiment provided by the shrinking Salton Sea in California, this paper shows that each one-foot drop in lake elevation is associated with a 0.28 μg/m3 (2.6%) increase in PM2.5 concentrations. IV model results then show that Salton Sea-induced changes in PM2.5 over 1998–2014 led to increases in respiratory mortality of 1.4/yr.–15.6/yr. in the counties surrounding the lake, generating $13.2–$147.3 million in annual health costs.

State of the Salton Sea: A Science and Monitoring Meeting of Scientists for the Salton Sea

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) | January 19th, 2017

The Salton Sea (Sea) is an ecosystem facing large systemic changes in the near future. Managers and stakeholders are seeking solutions to the decline of the Sea and have

The Salton Sea (Sea) is an ecosystem facing large systemic changes in the near future. Managers and stakeholders are seeking solutions to the decline of the Sea and have turned to the scientific community for answers. In response, scientists gathered in Irvine, California, to review existing science and propose scientific studies and monitoring needs required for understanding how to retain the Sea as a functional ecosystem. This document summarizes the proceedings of this gathering of approximately 50 scientists at a September 8–10, 2014, workshop on the State of the Salton Sea (SoSS).  In 1997, a similar gathering of nearly 100 scientists and others in Palm Springs, Calif., yielded a number of scientific proposals establishing a foundation for a program of integrated science investigations. The 1997 workshop results were combined with recommendations from a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Tiger Team (Shipley and others, 1999), resulting in the eventual creation of a Strategic Science Plan (SSP) for the Salton Sea (Salton Sea Science Subcommittee, 2000). The vision from the 1997 workshop of an integrated and coordinated program of scientific investigations, embraced by the SSP, was implemented through the SSC and the USGS Salton Sea Science Office (Science Office). The integrated science program, mandated by the Salton Sea Reclamation Act of 1998 (Public Law 105–372) and spelled out in the SSP, directly led to an increased scientific understanding of the Salton Sea ecosystem. The workshop concluded that “rehabilitation of the Sea is essential and requires that current ills be rectified in a manner that allows the Sea to sustain social values of importance to the human populations of the Imperial and Coachella Valleys, as well as society in general” (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1997). The 2014 SoSS workshop built upon the foundations of the 1997 workshop, with particular emphasis on changes in the condition of the Sea and its environment in the intervening years. Over the past five decades, investigations of the Salton Sea have addressed water quality, biological, recreation, and (or) economic issues at the Salton Sea (California Resources Agency, 2006, chap. 8). Many stakeholders believe that the Salton Sea has been “studied to death” (Claiborne, 1996). Although it is true that a great deal of research has been completed at the Salton Sea, much of it has been short term and focused on specific topics with little or no integration across science disciplines, time, and space. Additionally, there have been numerous attempts at resource management of the Salton Sea (previously referred to as restoration planning).  Study objectives have differed, but the main focus has generally been on methods to control the salinity and elevation of the Salton Sea (California Resources Agency, 2006, chaps. 1 and 4). Most investigations resulted in proposed plans to preserve the Salton Sea as a thriving fishery and recreational destination, and most of these plans addressed methods to preserve the “whole Sea.” More recently, however, studies have recognized that maintaining a smaller Salton Sea should be considered, owing to declining inflows to the Salton Sea (California Resources Agency, 2006).  Prior investigations considered hundreds of alternatives for managing Salton Sea salinity, nutrients, and water elevation. Some alternatives generated revenue to help pay for rehabilitating the Sea. These alternatives have been addressed in multiple studies, as summarized in chapters 1 and 4 of the “Salton Sea Ecosystem Restoration Program Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Report” (California Resources Agency, 2006).  Although there have been multiple efforts to characterize the Salton Sea ecosystem and develop management plans, it was not until 1996 that a comprehensive and integrated research needs assessment was developed (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1997). The 1997 report captured the combined thinking of scientists and managers and identified several areas of scientific research that would be required for a fuller, more complete understanding of the Salton Sea necessary to undertake any management project. The report defined these broad categories of science as physical environment, biological environment, cultural resources, pathogens and diseases, and contaminants. These categories form the basic framework for all scientific investigations at the Salton Sea. Some science categories continue to receive greater emphasis because limited funding has required the prioritization of projects.  A Salton Sea Science Subcommittee (SSC) authorized by Public Law 105–372, representing a broad range of Federal, State, local, and other stakeholder interests, endorsed a long-range Strategic Science Plan for the Salton Sea (Salton Sea Science Subcommittee, 2000). Whereas the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1997 report established the types of science needed, the SSP further established the governing processes and expectations of how this science program should be conducted. The SSP provided the framework for scientific investigations and remains the source for identifying how scientific studies should be undertaken to better understand the Salton Sea ecosystem. Based substantially on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (1997) analysis of science needs, and in consultation with many stakeholders, the SSC authorized and funded a number of initial reconnaissance-level projects. The structure of this SoSS document follows the basic framework of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1997 report, placing emphasis on physical environment (air and water quality), biological environment (birds, fish, invertebrates, carbon, and algae), contaminants, and socioeconomics.  The SoSS meeting in 2014 was convened to build upon previous scientific efforts and to provide guidance to managers on what experts believe are the most critical science needs going forward. Experts were invited to participate in the SoSS meeting based on a review by the organizing committee of individuals with subject area expertise and experience working at the Salton Sea or in similar environments. The SoSS organizing committee presented a synopsis of known science to the gathered scientists, who were then tasked to evaluate the completeness of that science and make recommendations for science needs to fill information gaps. Participants were challenged to think and act independently of their organizational affiliation in order to generate conceptual proposals designed to address scientific and monitoring concerns identified by the managerial meeting participants.

Statement of E. Joaquin Esquivel, Chair, California State Water Resources Control Board Before the Water, Oceans, and Wildlife Subcommittee Hearing on Federal and State Efforts to Restore the Salton Sea

Salton Sea Authority | September 24th, 2020

Good afternoon Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee. My name is Joaquin Esquivel and I am the Chair of the California State Water Resources Control Board. Th

Good afternoon Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee. My name is Joaquin Esquivel and I am the Chair of the California State Water Resources Control Board. Thank you for the invitation to join you today to speak about the Salton Sea and the opportunity we all have to help bring attention to California’s largest lake.

Testimony of Wade Crowfoot, California Secretary for Natural Resources House Natural Resources Committee Subcommittee on Water, Oceans and Wildlife

Salton Sea Authority | September 24th, 2020

Thank you, Chairman Huffman and members of the Subcommittee for the opportunity to testify today on how the federal government can partner with California to inve

Thank you, Chairman Huffman and members of the Subcommittee for the opportunity to testify today on how the federal government can partner with California to invest resources and efforts to improve and ultimately revitalize conditions at the Salton Sea. I serve as Secretary of the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA), which is charged with stewarding California’s natural, historical, and cultural resources for current and future generations. As part of that work and under the direction of Governor Gavin Newsom, our Agency is advancing projects at the Salton Sea to tackle pressing environmental issues and improve conditions for the people who live near the Salton Sea. As California’s largest body of water, the Salton Sea has served as a critical wildlife habitat for nearly 100 years, providing a key stopover spot for many special species of resident and migratory birds along the Pacific Flyway. Flows into the Salton Sea have declined in recent years, and the result is a shrinking, increasingly saline lake. As the Sea recedes, previously submerged lakebed is being exposed, reducing habitat and creating dust that can be hazardous as it dries and becomes airborne. These dust emissions present air quality issues that exacerbate public health challenges experienced by local communities in the region, which already has some of the highest childhood asthma rates.

The disappearing Salton Sea: A critical reflection on the emerging environmental threat of disappearing saline lakes and potential impacts on children's health

Science of the Total Environment (Elsevier) | February 6th, 2019

Changing weather patterns, droughts and competing water demands are dramatically altering the landscape and creating conditions conducive to the production of wind-blown

Changing weather patterns, droughts and competing water demands are dramatically altering the landscape and creating conditions conducive to the production of wind-blown dust and dust storms. In California, such factors are leading to the rapid shrinking of the Salton Sea, a 345 mile2 land-locked “sea” situated near the southeastern rural border region known as the Imperial Valley. The region is anticipated to experience a dramatic increase in wind-blown dust and existing studies suggest a significant impact on the health and quality of life for nearby residents of this predominantly low-income, Mexican-American community. The discussion calls attention to the public health dimensions of the Salton Sea crisis. We know little about the possible long-term health effects of exposure to mobilized lakebed sediments or the numerous toxic contaminants that may become respirable on entrained particles. We draw on existing epidemiological literature of other known sources of wind-blown dust, such as desert dust storms, and related health effects to begin to understand the potential public health impact of wind-blown dust exposure. The increased production of wind-blown dust and environmental exposures to such non-combustion related sources of particulate matter are a growing health threat, due in part to drought coupled with increasing pressures on limited water resources. Recent population-based studies have linked dust storms with cardiovascular mortality, asthma hospitalization and decrease in pulmonary function in both adults and children. A growing number of studies provide evidence of the acute health effects of wind-blown dust exposures among children, which with repeated insults have the potential to influence respiratory health over time. The shrinking of the Salton Sea illustrates a public health and environmental justice crisis that requires action and attention to protect the health and well-being of local communities.

The Effect of a Receding Saline Lake (The Salton Sea) on Airborne Particulate Matter Composition

American Chemical Society (ACS) | July 12th, 2017

The composition of ambient particulate matter (PM) and its sources were investigated at the Salton Sea, a shrinking saline lake in California. To investigate the influenc

The composition of ambient particulate matter (PM) and its sources were investigated at the Salton Sea, a shrinking saline lake in California. To investigate the influence of playa exposure on PM composition, PM samples were collected during two seasons and at two sites around the Salton Sea. To characterize source composition, soil samples were collected from local playa and desert surfaces. PM and soil samples were analyzed for 15 elements using mass spectrometry and X-ray diffraction. The contribution of sources to PM mass and composition was investigated using Al-referenced enrichment factors (EFs) and source factors resolved from positive matrix factorization (PMF). Playa soils were found to be significantly enriched in Ca, Na, and Se relative to desert soils. PMF analysis resolved the PM10 data with four source factors, identified as Playa-like, Desert-like, Ca-rich, and Se. Playa-like and desert-like sources were estimated to contribute to a daily average of 8.9% and 45% of PM10 mass, respectively. Additionally, playa sources were estimated to contribute to 38–68% of PM10 Na. PM10 Se concentrations showed strong seasonal variations, suggesting a seasonal cycle of Se volatilization and recondensation. These results support the importance of playas as a source of PM mass and a controlling factor of PM composition.

The Impact of a Severe Drought on Dust Lifting in California’s Owens Lake Area

Nature Portfolio (Springer Nature) | May 11th, 2017

Mineral dust aerosols are responsible for some of the largest sources of uncertainties in our current understanding of climate change. Here we show that a severe drought

Mineral dust aerosols are responsible for some of the largest sources of uncertainties in our current understanding of climate change. Here we show that a severe drought is having a significant impact in one of largest sources of mineral dust aerosols of the U.S., the Owens Lake area in California’s southwest. Measurements of aerosol concentration (PM2.5 particle matter) in the Owens Lake salty playa show that the annual mean concentration of PM2.5 aerosol has been increasing steadily since the beginning of the current drought, with periods of high aerosol concentration increasing from 4 months in 2013 to 9 months in 2015. Interestingly, the PM2.5 aerosol concentration usually increases abruptly from less than ~0.05 mg/m3 to ~0.25 mg/m3. This occurs when saltation events break salt crusts produced by the efflorescence of brine in the salty playa. The brine is produced by either rainfall or runoff water. Based on this observation, we hypothesize that there is an upper limit of ~0.25 mg/m3 in the annual mean PM2.5 aerosols concentration in the Owens Lake basin that might limit the impact of mineral dust aerosols on climate. Indeed, the upper annual limit of ~0.25 mg/m3 has been nearly reached during the current drought.

The Salton Sea: A Status Update

Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) | August 29th, 2018