Friday’s top of the scroll: Plan casts dying sea as energy hub; Salton Sea officials continue support of local control
Posted by: Maven on December 9, 2011 at 8:35 amFrom the Desert Sun:
“A new plan for restoring the dying Salton Sea would potentially turn it into a national hub of renewable energy capable of providing for much of the southwestern United States’ power needs, a University of Redlands professor said.
Timothy Krantz, an environmental studies professor who has spent the past 14 years working on solutions at the Salton Sea, presented his Integrated Water Management Plan at the Salton Sea Authority’s meeting Thursday at the North Shore Yacht Club.
California’s largest water body, the Salton Sea has been slowly dying for decades as evaporation cycles cause its salinity to increase and its primary source of water, agricultural runoff, dwindles. … “
Continue reading from the Desert Sun by clicking here.
From the Imperial Valley Press:
“State representatives took with them clear messages on how to handle Salton Sea restoration, a representative from the area's local legislator reported at a meeting Thursday.
Silvia Paz, senior field representative with Assemblyman V. Manuel Pérez's office, told the Salton Sea Authority board that the assemblyman thought the Nov. 28 state budget hearing held in North Shore was a successful one. Some of the messages that the assemblyman is taking away from it is that there needs to be a clear consensus on what to do to restore the sea, the effort has to be led by locals with state help and fixing the sea has to be guided by experts. … “
Continue reading from the Imperial Valley Press by clicking here.
RELATED:
- Water Transfer to San Diego Is Upheld, from the New York Times Green Blog
- Court Upholds California's Landmark Quantification Settlement Agreement, Legal alert from Best Best & Krieger
A big win in the war for water, says the San Diego Union-Tribune
Posted by: Maven on December 9, 2011 at 8:31 amFrom the San Diego Union-Tribune:
“As it has been for decades, the military is critical to San Diego's economic future. So is tourism. So are agriculture and the science and technology industries that have helped make San Diego a player in the global economy. But ahead of all those critical economic engines is water. Without a reliable : and reliably growing : supply of water, this semiarid region at the tail end of the pipelines would shrivel and die as an economic powerhouse.
The battle to maintain existing sources of water and to develop new ones is never-ending and is fought on many fronts. One of those battle fronts is the courthouse, and San Diego County won a major legal ruling this week that would have been devastating had it gone the other way. … “
Continue reading from the San Diego Union-Tribune by clicking here.
Thursday’s top of the scroll: State appellate court rules QSA valid; case to head back to trial
Posted by: Maven on December 8, 2011 at 8:42 amFrom the Imperial Valley Press:
“The nation's largest agriculture-to-urban water transfer is a valid agreement, ruled a panel of Sacramento-area judges on Wednesday.
However, a final outcome is still a ways off as the Quantification Settlement Agreement was ordered back to the Sacramento Superior Court for a decision on the environmental issues surrounding the case.
The Third District Appellate Court reversed the Sacramento Superior Court's judgment on the agreement to send a portion of the Imperial Irrigation District's entitlement water to coastal, urban communities. … “
Continue reading from the Imperial Valley Press by clicking here.
From the San Diego Union-Tribune:
“A state Court of Appeal Wednesday ruled in favor of a landmark agreement that for years has delivered a vast new supply of water to the San Diego region while under a legal cloud.
The ruling is likely to be appealed to the state Supreme Court, but in the meantime the San Diego County Water Authority appears free to continue buying the water from Imperial County farmers.
Much is at stake for the San Diego region. In 2011 alone, Imperial Valley farmers sent 80,000 acre feet enough to serve the needs of 160,000 average households for the year. Eventually the amount ramps up to 200,000 acre feet annually. … “
Continue reading from the San Diego Union-Tribune by clicking here.
From the Desert Sun:
“A California appellate court has reversed a lower court’s invalidation of a landmark Colorado River water deal, providing momentary relief for water districts that rely on the water apportions it set.
The decision will likely result in continued litigation.
“This is a good thing for the Coachella Valley and for all of California because of the surety that it gives to our water supplies,\” Coachella Valley Water District General Manager Steve Robbins said of the ruling Wednesday on the Quantification Settlement Agreement, or QSA.
This is the 2003 water pact of which the Coachella Valley Water District is a partner. … “
Continue reading from the Desert Sun by clicking here.
COURT DOCUMENTS: Read the appellate court decision here.
MORE COVERAGE: Coverage from the Associated Press is here.
Imperial Irrigation District and the San Diego County Water Authority respond to QSA decision
Posted by: Maven on December 8, 2011 at 8:31 amThe Imperial Irrigation District issued this statement:
” … “This is obviously good news, and it's been a long time coming, but there's still considerable work to do in turning this agreement into one that is environmentally sustainable for the Salton Sea and economically viable for Imperial Valley agriculture,\” said Kevin Kelley, IID general manager. “This has been a long process, and I doubt that this decision brings it to a close, but for IID's part, we're heartened by the decision and intend to work within the framework of the QSA to make certain it works for the district, its water users and the public. … “
Read the full text of the press release from the Imperial Irrigation District by clicking here.
The San Diego County Water Authority issued this statement:
” … “The Water Authority is very pleased with the Appellate Court ruling,\” said Maureen A. Stapleton, general manager of the San Diego County Water Authority and the agency's lead negotiator on the water transfer agreement. “We were confident we would persevere and prevail.”
“Perseverance has been the hallmark of the success of our water transfer with the Imperial Irrigation District, and the broader QSA itself. … “
Read the full text of the press release from the San Diego County Water Authority by clicking here.
This just in … QSA ruling reversed; case sent back to trial court
Posted by: Maven on December 7, 2011 at 12:22 pmFrom the Imperial Valley Press:
“The nation's largest agriculture-to-urban water transfer has been send back to the Sacramento Superior Court after the Third District Appellate Court overturned a previous ruling today.
The ruling last year by Sacramento Superior Court Judge Roland Candee that invalidated the Quantification Settlement Agreement has been reversed with direction in a 166-page opinion released about 10:30 a.m. today. The case was remanded to the trial court for further proceedings. … “
Continue reading from the Imperial Valley Press by clicking here.
MORE: You can read the appellate court decision here.
Court considers Colorado River water agreement
Posted by: Maven on December 7, 2011 at 8:14 amFrom the California Farm Bureau Federation:
“Further disruption to California’s already-unreliable water supply could result from a state appeals court decision related to a 2003 agreement on the Colorado River. The case involves the seven-state Quantification Settlement Agreement and restoration of the Salton Sea.
As attorneys were arguing the complex case in a Sacramento appellate court last week, an Assembly budget subcommittee held a hearing to take comments on future options for managing the sea.
The QSA compact includes 13 separate contracts, including California’s pledge to live within its 4.4 million acre-foot right to Colorado River water and the Imperial Irrigation District agreement to transfer 200,000 acre-feet of farm water to the San Diego County Water Authority for urban uses. … “
Continue reading from the California Farm Bureau Federation by clicking here.
Assemblyman Perez commentary: Local officials must lead quest for Salton Sea solutions
Posted by: Maven on December 5, 2011 at 7:27 amFrom MyDesert.com, this commentary by Assemblyman Manuel Perez:
“While the problems plaguing the Salton Sea are well known, finding consensus on a path forward remains a bone of contention. This was illustrated last week by the numerous community, local government and state agency voices that testified at the Salton Sea restoration hearing I hosted Monday in North Shore.
The state hearing was held at my request by Assemblyman Rich Gordon, chairman of Assembly Budget Subcommittee 3, which is responsible for allocating funds for Salton Sea restoration. Earlier this year, the state proposed cutting all funding to the restoration council, and it was clear to me that we needed to reinvigorate the dialogue on this issue. … “
Continue reading this commentary at MyDesert.com by clicking here.
Desert Sun editorial: New strategies for the Salton Sea: Pérez leads campaign to restore local leadership for our most challenging environmental threat
Posted by: Maven on December 4, 2011 at 7:17 amFrom the Desert Sun, this editorial:
” … The Salton Sea on the eastern edge of the Coachella Valley is the most important wetland area along the Pacific Flyway, considering that 97 percent of California inland wetlands have disappeared. Millions of birds migrate to the sea every year. More than 400 species have been spotted there, more than any other place in the U.S. except the Gulf Coast of Texas.
Protecting bird habitat is one of many reasons for The Desert Sun to applaud Assemblyman V. Manuel Pérez for his proactive approach in seeking solutions to the region’s most challenging and complex environmental problem.
He says restoration of the sea will be his top priority for the rest of his legislative tenure. Good luck. Many others, such as Sonny Bono and Denise Ducheny, have set similar goals, but the sea continues to shrink.
However, a new plan to create the largest concentration of renewable energy in the world holds genuine hope to generate revenue for restoration. … “
Continue reading this editorial from the Desert Sun by clicking here.
Hope renewed for dying Salton Sea
Posted by: Maven on December 2, 2011 at 8:35 am
From MyDesert.com:
“Efforts to fix the dying Salton Sea have ebbed and flowed over the years, but longtime observers of this seemingly endless saga say they’re hopeful real progress might finally emerge after this week’s state assembly hearing in North Shore.
“I’m encouraged from the meeting,\” said Timothy Krantz, a University of Redlands environmental studies professor who’s spent the past 14 years studying sea restoration. “I think there’s a realization on the part of the state that they can’t solve this by themselves, let alone pay for it.
What makes this effort different from a dozen previous initiatives, participants say, is that there are new ideas to pay for the sea’s restoration by harnessing its potential as a source of energy. … “
Continue reading from MyDesert.com by clicking here.
Tuesday’s top of the scroll: Salton Sea restoration effort draws Assembly subcommittee hearing
Posted by: Maven on November 29, 2011 at 8:26 am
From the Imperial Valley Press:
“Violeta Lopez has been on the front line of the changes that are taking place in the Salton Sea.
The North Shore resident of 16 years has seen people move away, kids having health problems and the smell of the sea grow worse throughout the years, she said in Spanish. The residents there now only have one store in which to buy groceries, and Lopez attributes that among other things to a declining, super-salinated sea that appears no closer to getting better.
She wants to know when all the talk is going to stop and action will start to save the sea and the community she lives in. No one could answer Lopez's question, though much discussion settled Monday around how the state can move forward to help save the Salton Sea.
Sacramento came to the Salton Sea as the Assembly budget subcommittee on resources and transportation held a hearing at the North Shore Yacht Club, inviting local officials and residents to give their input on how they see the future of the largest inland body of water in the state. … “
Continue reading from the Imperial Valley Press by clicking here.
Coverage from the Imperial Valley Press continues here: Locals seek to retain control of Salton Sea restoration
From the Desert Sun:
“As state lawmakers held their first summit in more than four years on the looming death of the Salton Sea, Sonia Herbert gazed out the window at the North Shore Beach & Yacht Club marina, where squawking seabirds swooped across the glassy sea surface, fishing for tilapia.
Like most of the 60 people who attended Monday’s hearing, Herbert, who has lived in Bombay Beach since the 1970s, fears the worst: that time is running out on efforts to repair the sea and sustain its wildlife, and that overwhelming public health and economic crises will follow.
“All we’ve seen is studies, studies, studies and nothing has been done,\” a visibly frustrated Herbert told Assemblyman V. Manuel Pérez and two Assembly budget committee members. “What’s going to happen if we don’t do something\” … “
Continue reading from the Desert Sun by clicking here.
State hearing aimed at the Salton Sea
Posted by: Maven on November 28, 2011 at 7:28 amFrom the Imperial Valley Press:
“At the request of Assemblyman V. Manuel Pérez, D-Coachella, the California Assembly budget subcommittee on resources and transportation chaired by Assemblyman Richard Gordon, D-Palo Alto, is heading down to Coachella Valley to hold a hearing on Salton Sea restoration.
“The Salton Sea Restoration will continue to be a long-term issue for local residents and the state of California,\” said Gordon in a statement. “I look forward to Monday's hearing and for the opportunity to hear from local and state experts on the various issues surrounding the restoration project.
The hearing is set to include an update on what funds are available to implement the restoration efforts, a discussion of future funding needs and options and consider the state's obligation and role in the efforts moving forward. … “
Continue reading from the Imperial Valley Press by clicking here.
Tuesday’s top of the scroll: Appellate court in Sacramento hears QSA debate; State judge may lean toward San Diego water transfer
Posted by: Maven on November 22, 2011 at 8:07 amFrom the Imperial Valley Press:
“For nearly two hours, lawyers from both sides of the nation's largest agriculture-to-urban water transfer gave their case before a group of judges, a crowd of Imperial Valley residents, and other interested parties.
Now all there is to do is wait to see how the three third district appellate court judges decide about the fate of selling the Imperial Valley's water.
The Quantification Settlement Agreement, a set of agreements that send a portion of the 4.1 million acre-feet of Imperial Irrigation District entitlement water to urban areas like Los Angeles and San Diego, was heard before the Sacramento-based state appellate court Monday with a decision pending in the next few months. … “
Continue reading from the Imperial Valley Press by clicking here.
From the San Diego Union Tribune:
“Judging from his sharp line of questioning Monday, a state appeals court justice appeared reluctant to toss out a landmark agreement that cleared the way for a vast new supply of Imperial Valley water to flow to the San Diego region.
Justice Ronald Robie, who served as director of the Department of Water Resources during Jerry Brown's first turn as governor, was the only one of the three-judge panel of the 3rd Appellate District to banter with attorneys in the nearly two-hour hearing challenging the transfer and broader pact to share the Colorado River. … “
Continue reading from the San Diego Union-Tribune by clicking here.
MORE COVERAGE: Judge voices support for big California water pact, from the AP via the Capital Press
Courts weighs scrapping huge California water pact
Posted by: Maven on November 21, 2011 at 7:55 amFrom the Silicon Valley Mercury News:
“A vanishing lake figures large in a court battle over how Southern California gets it water, a high-stakes dispute with consequences that could ripple throughout the western United States.
A California appeals court is considering whether to overturn a landmark 2003 agreement that created the nation’s largest farm-to-city water transfer and set new rules for dividing the state’s share of the Colorado River. A three-judge panel of the 3rd Appellate District in Sacramento will hear arguments Monday and is expected to rule within three months.
Farmers and environmentalists involved in the lawsuit argue the pact is deeply flawed, while California water agencies say it is critical to keeping an uneasy peace on the river. The court has given each side 45 minutes to make its case and asked lawyers to focus on whether the state of California violated its constitution by essentially writing a blank check to restore the shrinking Salton Sea. … “
Continue reading from the Silicon Valley Mercury News by clicking here. A slightly different version of this story (also from the AP/Mercury News) is here.
Bay-Delta blog: Imperial and San Diego file petition on Salton Sea mitigation water
Posted by: Maven on November 21, 2011 at 7:47 amFrom the Bay-Delta blog:
“In 2002, one year before the Quantification Settlement Agreement (QSA) and related agreements were executed, the State Water Resources Control Board issued a key approval facilitating a long-term water transfer. The transfer, which carries a 45-year term and an option to renew for 30 additional years, involves Imperial Irrigation District conserving water and transferring the conserved quantity on a ramped-up schedule up to 200,000 acre-feet annually (afa) to the San Diego County Water Authority and 100,000 afa to the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) and Coachella Valley Water District. In order to approve this water transfer, the State Board made certain changes to Permit 7643, which allows Imperial to divert up to 10,000 cfs year-round from the Colorado River. These changes added new places of use (San Diego, MWD, and Coachella service areas) to the permit, a new purpose of use (municipal), and a new point of diversion at Lake Havasu to send water to San Diego and MWD.
The tricky part with transfers is avoiding “injury\” to other water users and the environment. … “
Continue reading from the Bay-Delta blog by clicking here.
Sinking sensation on the shore of the Salton Sea
Posted by: Maven on November 8, 2011 at 5:59 amFrom the San Diego Union-Tribune, this column by Logan Jenkins:
“It's a stretch, but call me Ishmael.
Last week, feeling grim about the mouth and having just finished a brilliant Melville-obsessed novel, Chad Harbach's “The Art of Fielding\” I fought off the November damp by taking to sea.
The Salton Sea.
Though 100 miles around as the car flies, the old sink's current occupant can be as shifty as a mirage in the Colorado Desert.
My first stop was the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge, which on the map looked like a promising perch to view the southern shore. … “
Continue reading this column from the San Diego Union-Tribune by clicking here.
Conceptual plan may save Salton Sea, cause problems
Posted by: Maven on November 6, 2011 at 6:23 amFrom the Imperial Valley Press:
“Imari Kariotis loves that she can see the stars at night. Her nearest neighbor is a quarter of a mile away from the house in Salton City she has lived in for the past 10 years. It cuts down on the light, making it a great view.
“I love the beauty of it. I really do,\” she said. “Even when it's summer and 130 degrees, it's beautiful.
Many people moved to the area to watch the birds and a sea as far as the eye can see, the president of the West Shores Salton Sea Growth Association said. Since she's been there, though, the sea levels have been dropping quite noticeably from two feet in some areas to seven feet depending on the shoreline.
There's good news and bad news when it comes to the Salton Sea. … “
Continue reading from the Imperial Valley Press by clicking here.
Sunday’s top of the scroll: Massive California farm-to-city water deal snared in litigation
Posted by: Maven on October 30, 2011 at 7:17 am
From the Los Angeles Times:
“A 2003 water pact between the Imperial Valley and San Diego County was supposed to be good for both parties, and for California.
But the agreement billed as the largest sale of water from farms to cities in the nation is snared in litigation and the outcome is uncertain. No sooner had the pact been signed than it came under attack by environmentalists, farmers and the Imperial County Board of Supervisors.
One major point of contention is that the Salton Sea could become saltier and shrink if farmers reduce agricultural runoff into the sea because water is being sold to San Diego County. If the sea recedes further and becomes more saline, it could lead to massive fish die-offs, endanger migratory fowl and result in toxic dust storms. … “
Continue reading from the Los Angeles Times by clicking here.
Property tax could go to restore Salton Sea
Posted by: Maven on October 28, 2011 at 7:33 amFrom the Imperial Valley Press:
“Property tax increases from a proposed project on the Imperial County-Riverside County line may go toward restoring the Salton Sea.
The Salton Sea Authority is looking at what it would take to form an infrastructure finance district, a defined area where a portion of property tax would go to pay for improvements to public properties.
“It's the beginning of the beginning of an infrastructure district,\” said board Chairman Marion Ashley, Riverside County supervisor. … “
Continue reading from the Imperial Valley Press by clicking here.
Did California overreach in promising to help the Salton Sea?
Posted by: Maven on October 27, 2011 at 8:50 amFrom The New York Times Green blog:
“One of the joys of reporting is the serendipitous encounter, the fascinating digression. It was farmers I hoped to talk to when I visited the Imperial Valley this summer for my recent article about farmers who leave fields fallow and earn money for sending the water saved to San Diego.
Stepping out of the 110-degree heat one day in July, I sat down in the lunchroom of a small hotel in Brawley, Calif., with Al Kalin, a farmer in the area. Yet for nearly 20 minutes, Mr. Kalin talked fishing, not farming.
He had grown up near the Salton Sea and fished all of its offerings bass and grouper and tilapia and more so avidly that eventually he got interested in making lures. Eventually he was selling the lures on the Internet, while continuing to work his family's 2,000 acres of farmland in the Imperial Valley. … “
Continue reading from the New York Times Green blog by clicking here.
Imperial County comments on Salton Sea conservation project
Posted by: Maven on October 12, 2011 at 7:02 amFrom the Imperial Valley Press:
“A letter supporting a Salton Sea conservation project as long as it allows potential geothermal development in the area was approved unanimously by the county Board of Supervisors on Tuesday.
The state and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is looking to restore shallow water habitat for fish and birds lost due to increased salinity and reduced surface area, said Andy Horne, deputy county executive officer for natural resources.
“This is a fairly large project,\” Horne said … “
Continue reading from the Imperial Valley Press by clicking here.
Imperial Irrigation District’s proposal is a realistic approach to saving the sea, says commentary
Posted by: Maven on October 6, 2011 at 8:33 amFrom MyDesert.com, this commentary by Kevin E. Kelley of the Imperial Irrigation District:
“The Imperial Irrigation District’s planned petition to the State Water Resources Control Board regarding Salton Sea mitigation water has generated more heat than light.
In Keith Matheny’s Sept. 22 article covering the IID proposal, the Coachella Valley Water District voiced its opposition to the initiative and has subsequently passed a resolution to this effect. Attorney Malissa McKeith called it “a death warrant.
Setting aside the smoke and the hyperbole, what IID is proposing is a realistic approach to mitigating the effects of the nation’s largest agricultural-to-urban water transfer, one that places reduced air impacts, species and habitat preservation, and renewable energy development ahead of all other considerations. … “
Continue reading this commentary at MyDesert.com by clicking here.
Debate over Salton Sea heats up
Posted by: Maven on September 28, 2011 at 7:53 amFrom KESQ:
“The debate over the future of the Salton Sea returns to the limelight after recent proposals have initiated debate and disagreement on its future. The Coachella Valley Water District continues to support the preservation of the Salton Sea because of its many functions. “It supplies habitat for migrating birds, but it also provides a lot of recreation for fisherman and eco-tourism and so forth,” said Peter Nelson from CVWD.
However, the sea may face big changes. The Imperial Irrigation District made a proposal last week to evaluate cutting the sea off from the millions of gallons of water from the Colorado River each year. IID officials believe they can take the water they would put into the sea and sell it to coastal communities. … “
Continue reading from KESQ by clicking here.
Imperial Irrigation District seeks to cut off Salton Sea; Agency wants to sell water contribution, put proceeds toward restoration efforts
Posted by: Maven on September 22, 2011 at 8:55 amFrom MyDesert.com:
“It’s a nightmare scenario that has been described for years: The Salton Sea shrinks so significantly that its miles of exposed dry lake bed feeds toxic dust storms that foul the air; hurt tourism and agriculture; and ruin bird, fish and animal habitats.
The potential doomsday has even been set: Jan. 1, 2018.
It’s then that the Imperial Irrigation District, water provider to the Imperial Valley’s vast agricultural fields, would no longer be obligated to push millions of gallons of water into the Salton Sea every year.
But that date may now come four years earlier. … “
Continue reading from MyDesert.com by clicking here.
Photo of the Salton Sea by Chris Austin.
Salton Sea bird not in danger of extinction, federal agency reports
Posted by: Maven on September 21, 2011 at 5:54 amFrom the Imperial Valley Press:
“A bird that makes its habitat near the Salton Sea is not an endangered species, announced the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Monday.
The van Rossem's gull-billed tern, a medium-sized migratory bird, does not warrant protection under the Endangered Species Act, according to the Fish and Wildlife Service. The service made the finding after a review involving the scientific and commercial information dealing with the status of and threats to the species, according to a press release from the service. … “
Continue reading from the Imperial Valley Press by clicking here.
Step up efforts to save the Salton Sea, says the Desert Sun
Posted by: Maven on September 18, 2011 at 7:22 amFrom MyDesert.com (or the Desert Sun), this editorial:
“The plan proposed to protect fish, birds and wildlife at the Salton Sea is a baby step compared to the ultimate solution to preserve California’s largest lake. But it’s a step in the right direction.
The California Natural Resources Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has released a draft of its species conservation habitat project. It is open to public review through Oct. 18.
The plan would create six potential pond projects on up to 3,770 acres at the south end of the sea, near the inlets of the New and Alamo rivers. It’s an experimental project to determine how to create habitat where fish can survive and provide food the birds need to prosper. … “
Continue reading this editorial from the Desert Sun by clicking here.
Pérez to set sights on Salton Sea in new year
Posted by: Maven on September 17, 2011 at 6:14 amFrom the Desert Sun:
“Assemblyman V. Manuel Pérez plans to focus more attention on restoring the slowly dying Salton Sea in the upcoming legislative session, which starts Jan. 4.
“This year, we’re going to tackle it,\” Pérez, a Coachella Democrat, said during a meeting with The Desert Sun Editorial Board on Friday.
Several Sea restoration plans, estimated to cost anywhere from $2.2 billion to $14 billion, have been floated in recent years. … “
Continue reading from the Desert Sun by clicking here.
Wednesday’s top of the scroll: Imperial Irrigation District board: Salton Sea mitigation cannot wait
Posted by: Maven on September 14, 2011 at 8:55 am
From the Imperial Valley Press:
“The Imperial Irrigation District will take a stand to put Salton Sea mitigation projects in the ground now rather than continue with meetings.
The district Board of Directors voted 4-1 to petition the State Water Resources Control Board to allow it to transfer 480,000 acre-feet of water that is set to be sent to the Salton Sea for mitigation between 2014 and 2017 to the coast and use money from that transfer to pay for mitigation projects at the receding sea.
“It places the district squarely on the side of a realistic approach to Salton Sea restoration, one that emphasizes the mitigation of air impacts, the preservation of habitat features and the cultivation of renewable resources at the Salton Sea, and to do so sooner rather than later,\” said General Manager Kevin Kelley. … “
Director Stella Mendoza said of the resolution, “ “I think most of all this resolution tells Met (Metropolitan Water District of Southern California) where it can go. Continue reading from the Imperial Valley Press by clicking here.
MORE: IID says it is time to force the state’s hand, from KXO Radio
Meetings set for Salton Sea wildlife habitat plan
Posted by: Maven on September 13, 2011 at 7:18 amFrom the Imperial Valley Press:
“Salton Sea wildlife habitat is set to be discussed this week as a state agency holds public meetings in Imperial County.
The California Natural Resources Agency is asking for opinions on a draft environmental impact report for the Salton Sea Species Conservation Habitat project. The project looks at restoration efforts for the sea that is continuing to decline and increase in salinity. … “
Continue reading from the Imperial Valley Press by clicking here.
Smell not so bad at Salton Sea, the likely source
Posted by: Maven on September 6, 2011 at 7:07 amFrom MyDesert.com:
“The smell seemed to be everywhere except the place where people usually think it comes from.
A pungent, sewer-like odor in the air was noted Friday morning by people across the Coachella Valley. “Eight o’clock, I went outside to walk the dog and said, ‘Oh my goodness. What the hell is this’\” said Bryan Cox, a resident of northern Palm Springs.
But it was a nice day Friday along the shore of the Salton Sea, the 35-mile-long lake formed in a natural basin by agricultural runoff. … “
Continue reading from MyDesert.com by clicking here.
Colorado River issues, future of the QSA discussed at San Diego conference
Posted by: Maven on August 28, 2011 at 7:02 amFrom the Imperial Valley Press:
“The Colorado River's future took center stage Friday as water users, experts and officials came together to discuss whether California has a reliable water supply.
Topics at the final day of the three-day Urban Water Institute annual water conference included projected supply and demand issues in the coming years, the Salton Sea and the Quantification Settlement Agreement, the nation's largest agriculture-to-urban water transfer where Colorado River water from the Imperial Valley is sent to the coastal areas. … “
Continue reading from the Imperial Valley Press by clicking here.
Report outlines Salton Sea habitat restoration
Posted by: Maven on August 19, 2011 at 7:27 amFrom the Silicon Valley Mercury News:
“A new government report details a wildlife habitat rescue plan at Southern California’s dying Salton Sea, calling for carving out a half-dozen test ponds, which, if successful, could be expanded.
The state Natural Resources Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers draft released Wednesday is the latest proposal for the 376-square-mile Salton Sea stretching across the desert in Imperial and Riverside counties.
The report is designed to address what can be done now to protect wildlife habitat at the slowly dying sea and determine what can be incorporated into a larger fix later.
The sea, a major resting stop for migrating birds on the Pacific Flyway, has been plagued by increasing salinity. It was created in 1905 when floodwaters broke through a Colorado River irrigation canal. … “
Continue reading from the Silicon Valley Mercury News by clicking here.
Salton Sea habitat restoration ready for public comment
Posted by: Maven on August 18, 2011 at 8:01 amFrom the Imperial Valley Press:
“The state is looking into habitat restoration options for the Salton Sea, and the first draft of an environmental report is ready for public comment.
The state released the draft Salton Sea Species Conservation Habitat project environmental impact report, which opens the 60-day public comment period on the project plan.
The plan includes alternate methods for restoring habitat at the Salton Sea and those methods' impacts, according to a press release from the California Department of Water Resources. … “
Continue reading from the Imperial Valley Press by clicking here.
SEE ALSO: Plan to protect wildlife at Salton Sea released, from MyDesert.com
RELATED, SOMEWHAT: Reclamation still staying out of the controversy regarding IID’s release of water into the Salton Sea, and will only get involved if talks break down, reports KXO Radio
Imperial Valley: Water transfer agreement lawyer hiring is postponed
Posted by: Maven on July 27, 2011 at 6:42 amFrom the Imperial Valley Press:
“A new lawyer to handle the nation's largest agriculture-to-urban water transfer may be hired within the next few weeks, though more information is needed.
The Imperial Irrigation District Board of Directors postponed a decision on whether to hire New Mexico water attorney Charles DuMars while district staff works to define the duties and potential conflicts of interest.
DuMars has a focus on water and environmental law, interstate compact negotiations, constitutional law and complex litigation matters. … “
Continue reading from the Imperial Valley Press by clicking here.
Bureau of Reclamation still undecided on Salton Sea mitigation water
Posted by: Maven on July 10, 2011 at 7:11 am
From the Imperial Valley Press:
“The Bureau of Reclamation has put out its decision on the Imperial Irrigation District releasing early mitigation water to the Salton Sea, and the answer is undecided. The bureau's Regional Director Lorri Gray-Lee responded just days before a previously set deadline about IID's release of 41,250 acre-feet of underrun water into the Salton Sea last year.
The local district released the water for its 2010, 2011 and half of 2012 Salton Sea mitigation requirements set by the Quantification Settlement Agreement, the nation's largest agriculture to urban water transfer.
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and the Bureau of Reclamation questioned whether IID had the right to that water, and talks among the water agencies and federal agency began. … “
Continue reading from the Imperial Valley Press by clicking here.
Photo of the Salton Sea by Chris Austin.
Scientists tie Colorado River flooding to San Andreas quakes
Posted by: Maven on July 6, 2011 at 7:11 am
From the Los Angeles Times:
“Researchers believe Colorado River damming projects that followed the creation of the Salton Sea could be one reason why Southern California is overdue for a major earthquake.
In a new study led by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, scientists found that the floodwaters that periodically flowed through faults helped trigger earthquakes in the area, including several large ones along the mighty San Andreas.
The modern Salton Sea came to life nearly a century ago when record floodwaters from the Colorado River overwhelmed barriers, and during the course of two years created the massive body of water in a desert sink. Dams and other irrigation barriers were eventually built to stop the flow of water into the sea and end the periodic flooding that had long plagued the area. … “
Continue reading from the Los Angeles Times by clicking here.
Photo of the Salton Sea by Chris Austin.
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