Salton Sea Management Program Update – August 31, 2021
Also: SSMP Welcomes New Team Members
Join the Salton Sea Management Program (SSMP) for a community meeting this afternoon or September 2 in the evening.
The meetings provide an opportunity to share experiences, meet new members of the SSMP team, hear more about the process to study water importation concepts and learn more about the long-range planning process the state is launching.
The August 31 meeting begins at 2 p.m. The September 2 meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. Spanish interpretation will be provided.
Attendees will be able to access the meetings through these links at Zoom, Facebook Live (Spanish only), or call in by telephone (888-278-0296, access code 596019). For more information, visit www.saltonsea.ca.gov or email cnra-saltonsea@resources.ca.gov.
SSMP Welcomes New Team Members
To continue delivering critical projects around the Salton Sea, the SSMP is adding two new members to the team.
James Newcomb
James Newcomb will serve as an Assistant Deputy Director and lead the Salton Sea team at the Department of Water Resources (DWR) and work with leadership across state government beginning Sept. 1.
Newcomb is an environmental program manager at DWR. He has worked primarily in habitat restoration. He led the development of the Yolo Bypass Salmonid Habitat Restoration and Fish Passage Implementation plan and has been critical in implementing new infrastructure in the Yolo Bypass to create improved habitat for salmon and sturgeon.
Miguel Hernández
Starting Sept. 1, life-long Imperial Valley resident Miguel Hernández will be the SSMP’s new public affairs officer at the California Natural Resources Agency.
Hernández will be stationed in Imperial County and will lead the SSMP’s local outreach and communications efforts.
Hernández previously worked as the communications coordinator at Comité Cívico del Valle, a community-based organization that works on environmental justice throughout California. In this capacity, he served as the community chair for the Imperial Valley and East Coachella Valley Environmental Justice Enforcement Task Force, oversaw and coordinated the Salton Sea Community Outreach, Education, and Engagement program, and led advocacy efforts for environmental justice issues affecting disadvantaged communities in California.
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Salton Sea Management Program Update – August 17, 2021
Also: Upcoming Community Meetings Aug. 31 and Sept. 2
The Independent Review Panel tasked with studying the feasibility of importing water to the Salton Sea is offering an opportunity for parties to submit new or updated information by October 12.
The Panel will accept new concepts for water importation that were not submitted in 2018 as well as updates to the 11 concepts previously submitted. For more information visit the new web page for the Panel.
The Panel is inviting all proposers to present their concepts this fall. The optional 30-minute presentations will allow proposers to highlight their concepts and any new information and field questions from the Panel.
New concepts and updates are due October 12.
Questions for the Independent Review Panel and its support team can be submitted via email to: sslt-eval-input@ucsc.edu. If you submitted a concept in 2018, use this email: link-sslt-eval@ucsc.edu.
A public meeting is planned for early November where the public will have the opportunity to ask questions or give comments about the project to the Panel. Further details will be available soon.
Upcoming Community Meetings Aug. 31 and Sept. 2
The chair of the Independent Review Panel, Dr. Rominder Suri, will attend the upcoming community meetings, August 31 and September 2. Suri will provide information about the water importation feasibility evaluation.
The meetings provide an opportunity to share experiences, meet new members of the SSMP team, hear more about the process to study the water importation concepts and learn more about the long-range planning process the state is launching.
Afternoon and evening meetings are planned. Spanish interpretation will be provided. The August 31 meeting begins at 2 p.m. The September 2 meeting begins at 5:30 p.m.
Attendees will be able to access the meetings through Zoom, Facebook Live (Spanish only), or call in by telephone (888-278-0296, access code 596019). For more information, visit www.saltonsea.ca.gov or email cnra-saltonsea@resources.ca.gov.
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Salton Sea Management Program Update – August 11, 2021
Also: Chair Selected for Independent Review Panel Studying Water Importation; Progress Continues on Species Conservation Habitat Project
Save the Date for Community Meetings Aug. 31 and Sept. 2
The Salton Sea Management Program is hosting two virtual community meetings August 31 and September 2 to share updates and hear from residents.
The meetings provide an opportunity to share experiences, meet new members of the SSMP team, hear from experts about the process to study proposals to import water to the Salton Sea and learn more about the long-range planning process the state is launching this summer.
Afternoon and evening meetings are planned so more people can attend. Spanish interpretation will be provided. The August 31 meeting begins at 2 p.m., while the September 2 meeting begins at 5:30 p.m.
Attendees will be able to access the meetings over Zoom, Facebook Live, or call in by telephone (888-278-0296, access code 596019). For more information, visit www.saltonsea.ca.gov or email cnra-saltonsea@resources.ca.gov.
Chair Selected for Independent Review Panel Studying Water Importation
Dr. Rominder Suri, professor and chair of Temple University’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, will serve as chair of the Independent Review Panel evaluating long-term water import strategies for Salton Sea restoration.
Suri’s leadership from his academic tenure, as well as his National Science Foundation-funded Water and Environmental Technology (WET) Center, give him extensive experience in working with interest groups and facilitating collaborative processes. His work with the USAID-funded Egyptian Center of Excellence for Water has placed him in international settings where diplomacy, as well as technical expertise, are required.
Suri has published papers on water treatment processes. He has studied traditional and novel treatment techniques. His work has resulted in building treatment facilities in Brazil and Ireland. Water quality impacts will be an important consideration in the evaluation of seawater importation concepts for long-term restoration of the Salton Sea.
As the chair of the independent review panel, his duties will include the selection of panel nominees, leading the drafting of reports, setting agendas for and managing all meetings, and supervising all votes and deliberations by the panel.
The water importation concepts will be reviewed by the panel’s experts. The panel will hold its first meeting this fall. At that time, members of the public can share opinions and information about sea water importation options.
Suri will attend the August 31 and September 2 community meetings to provide additional information about the water importation feasibility study.
Progress Continues on Species Conservation Habitat Project
Work continues on the Species Conservation Habitat (SCH) Project with the continuing excavation of an interception ditch to the west and east of the New River and the connection to additional agricultural drains.
Design work for the balance of the project will continue into November.
The SCH Project is at the southern end of the Salton Sea. As the state’s first large-scale project, it will create a network of ponds and wetlands to provide important fish and bird habitat. Also, it will suppress dust emissions, improving air quality as the Salton Sea continues to recede. The project will cover more than 4,100 acres and is expected to be completed in 2023.
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