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Salton Sea pipeline: is it a feasible alternative?

Posted by: Maven on August 18, 2007 at 11:35 pm

salton-sea-north-shore-august-2007.jpgHere’s an article on MyDesert.com which was written by an Indio resident, Richard B. Speed. He is not happy with the proposed restoration plan that calls for drying up a major portion of the Salton Sea and creating a smaller, recreational lake only a fraction of the size. Mr. Speed feels the only option worth considering is an option that would save the entire sea. He writes:

We could develop a vibrant recreational economy at a fully restored Sea and take care of the natural life at the same time by means of a water exchange between the Sea and the Gulf of California. The only barrier to such an enterprise is the international boundary. If Baja California were part of the United States the work could already be under way. The project should be developed in a way that permits it to provide significant benefits to both countries. Negotiations with Mexico need not be a problem if we go at it intending to succeed. We should accommodate each country’s desires and produce something each country can be proud of.

There are two ways we could proceed. In the first alternative, we could execute a simple water exchange with water delivery by means of an open waterway (like the California Aqueduct ) in each direction. A successful project will generate a significant increase in population with attendant increased demand on local utilities. To satisfy the water needs under these circumstances we may consider the other alternative in which the Salton Sea water being delivered to the Gulf in the exchange could instead be redirected to a water desalination plant. Such a facility could supply the residential and farming water needs for the foreseeable future. This alternative eliminates the need for a second waterway.

This project presents no unusual engineering challenges since everything involved has been successfully accomplished elsewhere. Either of these alternatives would avoid the colossal damage that could occur to the 40-mile-long dike described in the state’s plan in the event of a major earthquake (see the front page article, Desert Sun, Aug. 3).

Actually, a pipeline at first sounds like a great idea. And as Mr. Speed points out, there’s nothing that would need to be done that hasn’t been accomplished elsewhere. However, upon closer examination, there are many factors that would complicate such a project.

1 – The cost would be about $3 billion to build and maintain. Each pipeline would have to be huge, requiring multiple pumping stations, and annual energy consumption would be large.

2 – Permits and rights of way for construction would be needed from a multitude of agencies and governments, including Mexico. Aqua Blog Maven does not think Mexico would be too eager to cooperate, with the All-American Canal lining and Drop 2 Reservoir project threatening to dry up the productive agricultural region over the border. Aqua Blog Maven thinks that to secure their approval for such a project, something would have to be bargained in return, likely more water from the Colorado, which is already over-allocated and whose every drop is hotly contested.

3 – Parts of the Colorado Delta and the Gulf of California are part of an international biosphere reserve for endangered species protected by an international treaty, and construction of anything through this protected area would be nearly impossible. Routing the pipeline through to the Southern California coast would require the purchase of expensive real estate with owners who have both money and lawyers and aren’t afraid to use them.

4 – The water coming from the Salton Sea has a high potential of introducing exotic and invasive organisms to the receiving waters. Exotic organisms have the ability to colonize receiving waters, and out compete, kill, or infect native species, affecting the health and productivity of the ecosystem, and in some cases, achieve domination of the environment.

5 – Even though the Salton Sea is about 25% saltier than the ocean, and even with using a pipe twice the size of the Alaska pipeline, considering the size of the sea, the pipelines would not be likely to make a significant dent in the salinity of the sea. The pipes just cannot move enough less salty water to make a difference in such a large body of water.

Some have suggested instead of a pipeline, a shipping canal, perhaps. It could be used by boats and boost economic development in the region. But a shipping canal would still be subject to most of the same factors as a pipeline, and in addition, shipping canals are not very effective for moving water.

Having a recreational lake as part of the restoration of the Salton Sea has been a sticking point with some stakeholders in the area who say developing a tourist economy would be an economic boon to the area, providing jobs and economic stimuli to an area that sure could use it.

The current restoration plan calls for building a dike to creating a much smaller recreational lake, and allowing the remainder to dry up, applying dust control measures to the dried lake bed. The plan would cost nearly $9 billion over 75 years, and while there appears to be good legislative support for funding for restoration work, in these times of tight budgets, it is questionable how much money will be available for the Salton Sea. Per the terms of the QSA, some form of restoration must be done.

Unfortunately, the outlook is not good, and not many people seem happy with the restoration plan as proposed. Farmers, the Indian tribe, and the residents have all expressed concerns about it, and support from lawmakers does not appear to be overwhelming. Aqua Blog Maven’s crystal ball does not see much hope on the horizon for such an ambitious restoration plan at this time, especially if it lacks broad-based community support.

For more information on pipelines to the Salton Sea:

Salinity Reduction: What won’t work, From the Salton Sea Authority, a short paper that discusses the pipeline

A Canal to Save the Salton Sea, by FDungan.

Evaluation of Potential Impacts of Environmental Impacts of the Export and Discharge of Salton Sea Water to the Gulf of California or Pacific Ocean – a nearly complete research paper by Charles Keene.

Salton Sea Management – An Evaluation of Salinity and Elevation Control Methods

For more information on the Salton Sea, visit the Salton Sea Authority website.

August 18, 2007 · Filed Under Salton Sea

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