This is just one post in the Colorado River Basin Category

Salton Sea plan moving ahead despite lack of specifics

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on May 22, 2007 at 2:39 pm

The plans to save the Salton Sea are behind schedule, and stakeholder’s expressed their frustration recently, concerned that the efforts could come too late.

From the Imperial Valley Press Online:

[Salton Sea Authority Executive Director Rick] Daniels said he is concerned the longer it takes for state officials to come up with a fix that stakeholders here and elsewhere agree upon, the longer it will take state lawmakers to come up with a plan to pay for a portion of the fix.

At issue has been whether the final plan will include recreational lakes in the southern portion of the sea, 70 percent of which is within Imperial County boundaries, the rest lies within Riverside County boundaries.

Area officials have made it clear to Chrisman’s office they want the final plan to include a recreational lake, which they say is critical for Imperial County to reap economic benefits from the sea. They have said any final plan that does not include such a lake will not get the political support of local governments in this county.

For the full text of the article from the Imperial Valley Press Online, click here.

However, even without a specific plan in place, the senate bill passed the committee and heads to the full Senate. From the Desert Sun:

While the Senate Appropriations Committee passed Senate Bill 187, Daniels said supporters are a “little bit hamstrung” in trying to talk about the sea restoration because they don’t have a specific plan. Backers want state Resources Secretary Mike Chrisman to release his restoration recommendation, describing a course of action expected to cost about $6billion and based on the work of an advisory committee.

Release of the recommendation has been delayed, but may come out by the end of May, based on what Daniels and others have been told.

For the full text of the Desert Sun story, click here.

May 22, 2007 · Filed Under Colorado River Basin, Salton Sea, Southwest Water Issues