State and federal officials announce expansion of California’s Salton Sea conservation project

California and Biden administration officials on Tuesday announced new ecosystem restoration plans for the dwindling Salton Sea, where conservation efforts aim to improve regional air quality and support wildlife.

A groundbreaking ceremony for the Species Conservation Habitat project marked the completion of the first phase of these efforts and their expansion into a second phase, made possible by new state and federal commitments, according to the partners.

“The Biden-Harris administration is committed to making western communities more resilient to the impacts of drought and climate change,” Laura Daniel-Davis, acting deputy secretary of the Department of the Interior, said in a statement.

“We are collaborating with our partners to strengthen the stability and sustainability of the Colorado River System to support families, farmers and Tribes long into the future,” Daniel-Davis added.  

The first phase focused on a 4,110-acre area located at the southern end of the Salton Sea and involved restoring shallow water habitats that had been lost due to the lake’s rising salinity and receding shoreline.

The expansion will enable the addition of 750 more acres to the project’s overall footprint — bringing the total to nearly 5,000 acres, according to the California Natural Resources Agency. In the future, that area could potentially expand further, to around 8,000 acres, per the agency.

“California is making major strides on restoration efforts at the Salton Sea, and we’re expanding this critical work to create habitat on hundreds more acres and help improve air quality in neighboring communities,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) said in a statement.

The continuation in restoration efforts was made possible by a $70 million grant made by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, via the Inflation Reduction Act. That funding is part of a $250 million sum that the federal government committed to the Salton Sea in 2022.

This past August, action to facilitate land access and provide $175 million of the funds enabled workers to accelerate ongoing restoration efforts, according to the California Natural Resources Agency.

To date, the Golden State has committed more than $500 million in state funding for projects associated with the Salton Sea, the agency noted.

As the restoration project proceeds, state officials said that they aim to revive the region’s ecological value by creating networks of ponds and wetlands, providing habitats for fish and birds and suppressing dust within the area.

The Salton Sea is one of many salty lakes around the world that has been stirring up dust and worsening air pollution as it dries up.

“As the Salton Sea lakebed recedes, toxic dust is contaminating air quality and threatening the stability of the local ecosystem,” Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) said in a statement following the groundbreaking.

“The $250 million in Inflation Reduction Act funding we secured for the Salton Sea Management Program is essential not only to protect public health in surrounding communities, but to restore the habitat of the abundant aquatic and avian wildlife in the region,” Padilla added.