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Salton Sea – national press, bloggers, and residents weigh in

Posted by: Maven on May 1, 2007 at 2:33 pm

Here’s an article on the Salton Sea issue from the Associated Press that seems to be going across the nation. Recently, the Desert Sun in Palm Springs ran a three-day series of articles on the Salton Sea.

Basically, the issue in a nutshell is this: California has been using more than it’s entitlement of the Colorado River water, and has been forced to reduce its draw from the river to what it is legally entitled to – 4.4 million acre-feet. In order to meet this obligation, the IID has had to cutback on the amount of water used for irrigation in the Imperial Valley. This reduction in irrigation means there is less water going into the Salton Sea, which had been depending on agricultural drainage to sustain itself.

The Salton Sea is 25% saltier than the ocean, but nonetheless, has become an important stopover and wildlife habitat for migrating birds, who have seen their wetlands and habitat diminish due to increasing urbanization of the west coast. There once was a vibrant delta where the Colorado River meets the sea, but now during many months of the year, the river doesn’t even reach that far.

If the Salton Sea is allowed to dry up, particulate matter, dust, and toxins from the agricultural drainage will dry up and be blown around, creating a public health hazard for the region. One need only to look towards the dried Owens Lake and the dust problems now being mitigated by DWP to understand why residents are concerned.

Here is a link to a blog written by Ecogrrl – it will really give you a sense of what this place is like.

Some residents are asking why a pipeline can’t be built from the Sea of Cortez to bring ocean water to the Salton Sea? Check out the letters to the editor for April 29th and May 1st.

Finally, here is the Desert Sun’s editorial, urging residents to act now and do what they can to help save the Salton Sea.

May 1, 2007 · Filed Under Salton Sea

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