Improving Conditions at California’s Salton Sea

Under the direction of Governor Gavin Newsom, California state agencies are advancing projects at the Salton Sea to improve air quality and provide critical environmental habitat for birds along the Pacific Flyway.

Flows into the Salton Sea have declined in recent years, and the result is a shrinking, increasingly saline lake. As the Salton Sea recedes, previously submerged lakebed is being exposed, creating dust that is of concern to local communities.

The California Natural Resources Agency, the California Department of Water Resources and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife are focused on implementing the Salton Sea Program (SSP), which includes a 10-year plan that aims to improve conditions by constructing 30,000 acres of habitat and dust suppression projects around the Sea.

At the same time, the SSP team works to establish a long-term pathway for the Salton Sea beyond the next decade, including work to evaluate the feasibility of water importation as a strategy for restoration of the Salton Sea.

Since early 2019, the SSP team has significantly improved its capacity to deliver projects at the Salton Sea. Informed by constructive input from community members, local leaders and interested groups, the team continues to work with partners to implement projects to improve conditions near the Salton Sea and institutionalize inclusive community engagement within and across SSP projects.

News

Now Hiring! The Salton Sea Conservancy is Seeking an Executive Officer

We are seeking an experienced, collaborative, mission-driven professional to lead the newly established Salton Sea Conservancy. As the Conservancy’s inaugural leader, the Executive Officer will play a pivotal role in growing the Conservancy team, building durable partnerships, and shaping strategy to successfully operate and maintain completed restoration projects at the Salton Sea.

Under the policy direction of the Salton Sea Conservancy Board and with administrative oversight from the California Natural Resources Agency, the Executive Officer will serve as the organization’s chief executive. The Executive Officer will provide leadership in operations and maintenance for completed restoration projects built by the State’s Salton Sea Program, community engagement, interagency collaboration, project implementation, and financial oversight to ensure the ecological restoration and environmental health of the Salton Sea region in alignment with California Senate Bill 583. This position is remote-centered and will be headquartered in the Salton Sea region once office facilities are established, with the Executive Officer expected to report onsite as needed.

Click here to read more about the Executive Officer position. Application deadline is August 8, 2026.