The Programmatic Environmental Impact Report for restoration of the Salton Sea identified the need for additional environmental data. The Departments of Water Resources and Fish and Game, in coordination with the U. S. Geological Survey, are developing long-term monitoring plans for air quality, biological resources, and hydrologic resources (including streamflow, groundwater level, and water quality). Focused Technical Groups have been formed to provide input into monitoring plan development. Completion of the monitoring plans is expected by the end of 2008.

IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR
SPECIES CONSERVATION HABITAT PROJECT

Executive Summary

The Salton Sea provides important fish and wildlife habitat, but increasing salinity is resulting in habitat degradation. Salinity is expected to increase in future years as reduced inflows and evaporation cause the sea level to decline. The increasing salinity will eventually result in the loss of habitat at the Salton Sea and the dependent fish and bird species.

Ponds encompassing about 100 acres have been constructed as a pilot project near the southern shoreline of the sea to evaluate the feasibility of developing shallow saline habitat to compensate for habitat that is becoming lost at the Salton Sea. Though demonstrating the feasibility of creating shallow saline habitat, the ponds were not designed to evaluate all of the issues facing development of this type of habitat. In addition, freshwater ponds continue to be successfully developed along the northern shoreline, but these do not provide the saline type of habitat that will be lost at the Salton Sea. Additional shallow saline pond development is required to evaluate issues associated with development of larger complexes of shallow saline habitat on the exposed sea bed and to begin to offset some of the anticipated habitat losses that will soon occur at the Salton Sea.

The California Department of Fish and Game and Department of Water Resources are expanding upon the current efforts of creating shallow saline ponds to compensate for some of the habitat lost as the Salton Sea becomes increasingly saline. The implementation of conservation measures necessary to protect the fish and wildlife species dependent on the Salton Sea is being undertaken pursuant to Section 2932 of the California Fish and Game Code. The conservation measures will consist of a series of shallow saline ponds ranging from 100 to 500 acres in size and constructed on exposed playa as the sea recedes. The Species Conservation Habitat (SCH) ponds will be formed by constructing dikes using material excavated from the sea bed. Salinity will vary from 20 parts per thousand (ppt) in the initial ponds to 60 ppt in subsequent ponds. The ponds will range from four to six feet in depth, depending on the slope of the sea bed and extent of sea level decline. In addition to the open water and shoreline areas of the ponds, habitat diversity will be created by excavation of deeper areas, formation of islands, placement of artificial snags, and varying the bottom substrate to include gravel and rock to support a variety of fish and invertebrate species and provide foraging, nesting, loafing, and roosting opportunities for birds. Considering the success of the Experimental Ponds and freshwater ponds, the design and habitat features of SCH are expected to result in equal or greater success in providing habitat for invertebrates, fish, and birds to compensate for that lost as the Salton Sea becomes increasingly saline.

A reconnaissance investigation will be completed in 2008 that identifies alternative sites for SCH and potential component designs. The reconnaissance report will evaluate the existing conditions of playa expected to become exposed, water supply characteristics and requirements, and land ownership and availability. Subsequently, preliminary design investigations to be completed in 2009 will focus on the alternative sites to refine site information, develop detailed designs and cost estimates, and initiate negotiations for land access. During this phase, environmental studies will be conducted for an environmental impact report which identifies the preferred site for SCH. Lastly, final design work will be completed by mid-2010 at the selected site, including preparation of project level plans and specifications to be used for construction bidding. During this phase, all permits will be acquired, a mitigation and monitoring plan will be developed, and steps will be undertaken to acquire legal access to land.

SCH will initially be developed and monitored over a period of five years to evaluate the ability of the ponds to provide habitat for species dependent on the Salton Sea. The ponds will be constructed in annual phases as the sea recedes. About 800 acres of sea bed are anticipated to become exposed each year that would allow construction of about 2,400 acres of SCH over a three year period beginning in 2010. Ponds will be constructed in the first three years, with monitoring commencing following the first year of pond construction and continuing for two years after completion of pond construction. Biological and water quality parameters, habitat values and functions, and engineering performance will be monitored. Information developed from the evaluation of monitoring data will be used to refine engineering designs and wildlife management criteria, and develop adaptive strategies for continued development of SCH. Creation of additional SCH in future years using information derived from this project is dependent on the availability of fiscal resources.

A management process has been developed to manage the development and implementation of SCH. A decision process, establishment of a Technical Advisory Group, and stakeholder and public outreach are included in the management process.

The Salton Sea is located in a closed desert basin in Riverside and Imperial Counties in southern California, south of Indio and north of El Centro. The basin is more than 200 feet below sea level and has no natural outlet. Although lakes have existed in this basin in the past, the current body of water formed in 1905 when a levee break along the Colorado River caused its flows to enter the basin for about 18 months. Since 1905, the Sea has fluctuated in size with varying inflow, and it today has a surface area of about 365 square miles.

A balance between inflowing water and evaporation sustains the Sea. With no outlet, any salts that are dissolved in the inflow are trapped. Salt concentrations in the Sea are currently about 48,000 milligrams per liter (mg/L), or about 30 percent higher than ocean water. Salinity will continue to rise under current conditions, however, under the recently approved Quantification Settlement Agreement inflow to the Sea will be will be significantly reduced. The reduction in inflow will cause the Sea to shrink and cause salinity to rise faster than it would have without a reduction in inflow.

A gradual increase in salinity and its consequences was recognized soon after the Sea was formed. Various salinity control measures were studied as early as the mid-1950s. Since then, many alternatives have been proposed and analyzed. The current effort by the California Resources Agency is the latest attempt to develop a permanent solution to continued degradation of the environmental values of the Sea.