Salton Sea Management and Restoration Efforts
February 12, 2019
Salton Sea Management and Restoration Efforts
The Salton Sea in Southern California is the state’s largest
Recent drought response plans for the Colorado River are
inland body of water. The Salton Sea was created when a
connected to the fate of the Salton Sea. IID, the largest
canal gate broke in 1905, allowing Colorado River water
water rights holder on the Colorado River, has refused to
into the basin. It is now sustained by agricultural runoff
approve the drought plan for the Lower Colorado River
from farmlands in the Imperial and Coachella Valleys.
Basin without assurances related to Salton Sea restoration.
Though saltier than the ocean, it provides permanent and
temporary habitat for many species of plants and animals,
In addition to the sea’s connection to the Colorado River,
including several endangered species. It also serves as a
congressional interest in the Salton Sea stems, in part, from
recreational area for the region.
concern that dust from exposed lake beds could lead to
airborne pollution and that deteriorating conditions could
The Salton Sea has been altered by increasing salinity and
affect species listed under the federal and state endangered
decreasing size caused by steadily decreasing water flows
species acts, as well as other species.
into the sea (in part due to a reduction in Colorado River
water used for irrigation). High salinity and shrinking lake
Background
area have been linked to habitat changes and stressed
Beginning in 1901, irrigation canals were dug to divert a
populations of plants and animals, economic losses in the
portion of the Colorado River to irrigate agricultural fields
region, and impaired air quality.
in the Imperial Valley within the Salton Basin. In 1905,
water broke through a canal headgate, causing an
Figure 1. Map of Salton Sea and Vicinity
uncontrolled release of Colorado River water from the canal
and forming the Salton Sea. Water flowed uninterrupted for
nearly 18 months, filling the Salton Sea, before it could be
redirected to the Gulf of California. The Salton Sea formed
as a closed basin with no outlets, which is still its condition
today. The sea consisted largely of fresh water at its
creation; however, evaporation and dissolving soil minerals
have steadily increased its salinity over time.
Subsequent development of the Colorado River by the
federal government (including construction of Hoover Dam
and the All-American Canal in 1928) allowed water from
the Colorado River to be transferred to the Imperial Valley
for irrigation. After flowing through agricultural lands, this
water drained into the Salton Sea, thereby replacing water
lost to evaporation. In the 1920s, President Coolidge issued
public water and reserve orders for the withdrawal of lands
related to the Salton Sea. Today, lands in and around the
sea are managed by a patchwork of federal, state, and local
owners.
Although the Salton Sea was a popular destination for
sportfishing and tourism in the 1950s, a combination of
factors led to a decline in recreation and development of the
Source: California Legislative Analyst’s Office, The Salton Sea: A
area in the 1960s. Over the last several decades, water
Status Update, August 29, 2018.
levels in the Salton Sea have declined and salinity has
increased. Salinity levels in the sea are approximately 50%
State and federal agencies have studied how best to manage
greater than ocean water and are increasing. Few fish can
the Salton Sea in a sustainable manner, but major plans
survive in these waters. Some predict that all species of fish
have yet to be implemented. Previous investigations have
may disappear from the sea as early as 2023. The Salton
provided baseline data about the sea, and, in recent years,
Sea is also an important stop for birds on the Pacific
both the State of California (through the California Natural
Flyway, many of which rely on the fish and invertebrates in
Resources Agency) and the Imperial Irrigation District
the sea for sustenance. Finally, declining lake levels also
(IID) have proposed comprehensive restoration/mitigation
expose lake beds (or playa) on the shores of the Salton Sea.
plans.
The lake beds are covered with fine sediments, some of
which contain toxic substances such as selenium and
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Salton Sea Management and Restoration Efforts
arsenic deposited in part by agricultural runoff. When the
Reclamation and the basin states announced final drafts of
exposed lake beds dry, winds can blow up the dust and
drought contingency plans (DCPs) for the Upper and Lower
transport it. This particulate air pollution is found to pose
Colorado River Basins. The DCPs include interstate
health risks to humans and animals in nearby areas.
allocations and commitments to water delivery
curtailments. However, intrastate commitments (i.e.,
Inflow Reductions Under the Quantification
agreements that make it possible to realize state-level
Settlement Agreement
commitments in the DCPs) also must be finalized to
Historically, the Salton Sea received about 1.4 million acre-
implement the DCPs. Implementation of federal actions
feet per year (AFY) of the 3.3 million AFY in Colorado
envisioned under the DCPs would require authorization by
River water diverted to the Imperial and Coachella Valleys.
Congress.
The Quantification Settlement Agreement (QSA), a 2003
agreement to reduce California’s use of the Colorado River,
To date, most states and users have approved the DCPs, but
redirected 300,000 AFY of these flows to urban users in
IID made its approval contingent on three requirements:
Southern California. These reductions were mitigated in
part by 200,000 AFY of water transfers from IID to the
1. All seven Colorado River Basin states
Salton Sea. These mitigation flows expired in 2018.
must have approved the interstate DCP
Additionally, pursuant to the QSA, the State of California
documents as IID approved them;
assumed responsibility for restoration of the Salton Sea.
2. IID must vote on and approve any
Recent Restoration and Mitigation Plans
proposed federal legislation submitted to
Congress in conjunction with the DCP;
Several federal, state, and private entities have developed
and
proposals to restore the Salton Sea, with the objective of
3. The State of California and the federal
controlling salinity, maintaining habitat, and stabilizing
government must commit to sufficient
water levels. The State of California in 2015 formed the
funding for the full completion of the 10-
Salton Sea Task Force, which in 2018 released the Salton
year SSMP at 1:1 federal-to-state
Sea Management Plan (SSMP). The SSMP is a multiphase
funding, in addition to mitigating any and
restoration plan; phase 1 is expected to last 10 years and
all future considerations as a result of all
includes projects and activities that aim to convey water to
the DCP agreements.
the lake, reduce salinity, and cover/restore approximately
30,000 acres of exposed lake bed.
The requirements have delayed final approval of the DCPs
and have raised the prospect that the Department of the
As of 2018, the estimated cost for Phase 1 of the SSMP was
Interior may unilaterally curtail Colorado River water use in
$383.0 million. Available funding anticipated for the plan is
a manner it deems appropriate. For its part, IID has
approximately $80.5 million from a California state water
requested that $200 million in federal funding be made
bond passed in 2014 (Proposition 1). Other funding sources,
available by USDA under P.L. 115-334 (the 2018 farm
including both other state sources and $7.5 million in U.S.
bill). This funding would be provided for the SSMP.
Department of Agriculture (USDA) Regional Conservation
Partnership Program funding, also have been secured for
Issues for Congress
the SSMP. Additional funding is being pursued, including
The current situation with the Salton Sea raises several
significant funding from USDA’s Environmental Quality
issues for Congress. The fundamental question is what role
and Incentives Program (EQIP), which was recently
(if any) the federal government should play in the SSMP
amended to allow a state, irrigation district, or groundwater
and restoration of the sea. Some argue that this role should
management district to receive funding for projects.
be minimal, since the state assumed lead responsibility for
restoration under the 2003 QSA. Others contend that the
The first major SSMP project is expected to be a large-scale
prominent federal role in managing lands and waters in and
restoration project in the southern end of the Salton Sea.
around the Salton Sea, and the leading federal role in the
This project, named the Species Habitat Conservation
push for water cutbacks on the Colorado River, means that
Project, aims to suppress toxic dust by creating
the federal government should play a strong role in
approximately 3,770 acres of habitat for waterfowl. The
restoring the ecosystem and reducing the airborne pollution
habitat aims to keep the toxic substances from becoming
of the sea.
airborne. Another ongoing project that is included in the
SSMP is the Red Hill Bay Restoration Project, which is
If the federal government is involved, Congress might
being carried out with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
consider avenues and authorities for federal funding of
restoration. These might entail creating a new ecosystem
Relationship to Colorado River Drought
restoration authority for the Salton Sea or funding existing
Contingency Plans
authorities that allow for restoration (e.g., the EQIP
As a result of ongoing drought conditions in the western
program). Another potential issue for Congress is the extent
United States and the potential for water supply shortages,
and timing of work to restore the Salton Sea. As the sea
the Bureau of Reclamation (which manages Colorado River
shrinks, the potential for negative effects on wildlife
waters) and the Colorado River Basin states have recently
populations and increased airborne pollution will increase.
been engaged in negotiations on potential additional
reductions of Colorado River water deliveries (i.e., cutbacks
Pervaze A. Sheikh, Specialist in Natural Resources Policy
beyond the QSA). In October 2018, the Bureau of
Charles V. Stern, Specialist in Natural Resources Policy
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Salton Sea Management and Restoration Efforts
IF11104
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