La Agencia de Recursos Naturales de California ha presentado su Informe Anual 2024 sobre el Programa de Gestión del Salton Sea (SSMP) a la Junta Estatal de Control de Recursos Hídricos, preparado en cumplimiento de la Orden WR 2017-0134. El informe proporciona actualizaciones específicas sobre las actividades del SSMP en 2023 y la planificación de proyectos futuros, las asociaciones en curso para ayudar al SSMP a cumplir sus objetivos, la participación de la comunidad y los próximos pasos. Las versiones en inglés y español del informe se pueden encontrar en www.saltonsea.ca.gov en el apartado Documentos destacados.
En 2023 continuaron los avances significativos y cuantificables en el Salton Sea. El mayor proyecto de restauración de la historia del Salton Sea, que reducirá el polvo y restaurará el hábitat en miles de hectáreas en el extremo sur del Salton Sea, está a punto de concluir. En otras zonas del Salton Sea, cientos de hectáreas albergan vegetación endémica plantada recientemente para suprimir el polvo en las próximas décadas. Estas plantas han echado raíces, están creciendo y empiezan a cumplir su función. Este año también ha sido testigo de la primera gran inversión de los organismos federales para estabilizar el Lago; la Oficina de Reclamación de los Estados Unidos concedió 70 millones de dólares para acelerar los proyectos locales de restauración. Esta financiación se está poniendo en marcha para empezar a ampliar el Proyecto de Hábitat de Conservación de Especies en 1,000 acres más.
También se realizaron grandes progresos para acelerar mejoras adicionales en el marco de la actual Fase 1: Plan de 10 años. La planificación clave y la obtención de permisos han hecho avanzar proyectos de restauración de alta prioridad y se han cubierto puestos clave en el Programa de Gestión del Salton Sea (SSMP) para acelerar este trabajo. Se han reforzado las asociaciones con grupos y líderes de la comunidad que están ayudando a dar forma a nuestros esfuerzos en el Salton Sea, y está a punto de concluirse un informe sobre las necesidades de la comunidad planificado desde hace tiempo para impulsar nuevas mejoras en el Salton Sea.
Aunque en este informe anual compartimos avances significativos, reconocemos que aún queda mucho trabajo por hacer y que debemos seguir acelerando y ampliando nuestra labor en el Lago. Las asociaciones con comunidades, gobiernos tribales, partes interesadas y organismos locales, estatales y federales son cruciales para alcanzar los objetivos del SSMP.
El informe anual y el estado del SSMP serán el centro de un taller público de un día de duración convocado por la Junta Estatal del Agua el 22 de mayo de 2024. Los detalles de este taller están disponibles en la página web del programa Salton Sea de la Junta Estatal del Agua. Además, el equipo del SSMP planea realizar dos talleres comunitarios en persona en la región de Salton Sea y un seminario web en línea antes del taller de la Junta Estatal del Agua. El equipo del SSMP proporcionará una descripción general del informe, compartirá actualizaciones del proyecto y responderá preguntas sobre el trabajo realizado por el SSMP durante 2023. Estas reuniones están previstas para principios de mayo. Más detalles sobre estos talleres comunitarios están por anunciarse y se publicarán en el boletín electrónico del SSMP y en el sitio web del SSMP.
2024 SSMP Annual Report Submitted to State Water Board
The California Natural Resources Agency has submitted its 2024 Annual Report on the Salton Sea Management Program (SSMP) to the State Water Resources Control Board, prepared in compliance with Order WR 2017-0134. The report provides specific updates on the SSMP’s activities in 2023 and planning for future projects, ongoing partnerships to help the SSMP meet its goals, community engagement, and next steps. English and Spanish versions of the report can be found at www.saltonsea.ca.gov under the Featured Documents heading.
Significant, measurable progress continued at the Salton Sea in 2023. The largest restoration project in the Sea’s history neared completion, which will suppress dust and restore habitat across thousands of acres at the south end of the Sea. In other areas along the Sea, hundreds of acres now host native vegetation recently planted to suppress dust over coming decades. These plants have taken root, are growing and are beginning to serve their purpose. This year also witnessed the first major investment by federal agencies to stabilize the Sea; the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation granted $70 million to accelerate local restoration projects. This funding is being put into action to start expanding the Species Conservation Habitat Project by an additional 1,000 acres.
Great progress also occurred to accelerate additional improvements under the current Phase 1: 10-Year Plan. Key planning and permitting advanced high priority restoration projects and key staff positions were filled on the Salton Sea Management Program to ramp up this work. Partnerships have strengthened with community groups and leaders that are helping shape our efforts at the Sea, and a long-planned Community Needs Report is nearing completion to galvanize further improvements at the Sea.
Aerial view looking north of the Species Conservation Habitat New River diversion system, the East and West Sedimentation Basins, and the New River and its riparian vegetation.
Recent plant growth at the Vegetation Enhancement Project Clubhouse site near the community of Salton City.
While we share constructive progress in this annual report, we recognize that significant work remains ahead, and we must continue to accelerate and broaden our work at the Sea. Partnerships with communities, Tribal governments, interested parties, and local, state, and federal agencies are crucial to achieving the goals of the SSMP.
The annual report and the status of the SSMP will be the focus of an all-day public workshop convened by the State Water Board on May 22, 2024. Details for this workshop are available on the State Water Board’s Salton Sea program webpage. In addition, the SSMP team plans to hold two in-person community workshops in the Salton Sea region and an online webinar in advance of the State Water Board’s workshop. The SSMP team will provide an overview of the report, share project updates, and answer questions on the work completed by the SSMP during 2023. These meetings are being planned for early May. More details on these community workshops are forthcoming and will be announced via the SSMP e-Newsletter and on the SSMP website.
Working Together Works: Tools and Plans for the Future of the Salton Sea
Salton Sea Management ProgramProject Tracker is Now Live
The SSMP team has developed an online Project Tracker to provide a comprehensive public platform with updated information on Salton Sea Management Program projects. The Project Tracker shows progress under the Salton Sea Management Program Phase 1: 10-Year Plan in a single location.
Integrated into the SSMP website at www.saltonsea.ca.gov, this tool tracks current progress on SSMP 10-Year Plan projects. Projects are viewable and sortable by project phases, activity type, and category. The Explore Projects and Project Info sections display information on the activities, outcomes, and different SSMP metrics important to the Salton Sea Region. The Results Section has a Progress Dashboard that provides a snapshot of the accomplishments and advancements being made to improve conditions at the Salton Sea and displays information on the current progress towards meeting the requirements in State Water Resources Control Board Order 2017-0134.
The Project Tracker will be updated throughout the year with project photos, status, and important information. Acreage totals will be updated in June/July and again at the end of the year to align with Annual Report acreage reporting.
Salton Sea Long-Range Plan is Now Finalized
To meet its commitment for long-term planning beyond the Phase 1: 10-Year Plan, the SSMP prepared the Final Final Long-Range Plan (LRP), which is now available on the SSMP website. This Final LRP, including the comments submitted on the Draft LRP, is a focus of a Salton Sea restoration feasibility study that is being led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
A public draft of the LRP was released by the SSMP Team in December 2022 to comply with State Water Resources Control Board Order WRO 2017-0134. This draft plan was developed with support from Tribal leadership, community-based organizations, local, state, and federal agencies, and other interested parties. The proposed restoration concepts within the plan intend to protect or improve air quality, water quality, and wildlife habitat to reduce health and environmental consequences anticipated from the long-term recession of the Salton Sea. After a 45-day comment period in 2023, the SSMP compiled, reviewed, and responded to comments (reflected in Appendix I), developed new air quality modeling to inform the plan in response to public comments, and completed an updated the Final LRP.
The SSMP has partnered with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Salton Sea Authority to undertake a feasibility study for long-term restoration actions at the Sea. The official title of the feasibility study is: Imperial Streams and Salton Sea Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study. Additional public input opportunities will be available during this process to shape and enhance the plan for future actions at the Sea.
Salton Sea Monitoring Implementation Plan: The First Ever Annual Work Plan Has Been Developed
The 2024 Salton Sea MIP Annual Work Plan(Work Plan) is a collaborative effort among different entities and SSMP partners around the Sea. The Work Plan reflects the annually planned monitoring work by the SSMP and implementing partners within the Salton Sea ecosystem during the calendar year. The SSMP team recognizes the crucial role of partnerships in meeting restoration goals through collecting data, facilitating project implementation, and helping secure funding. This collaboration leverages the collective investments and scientific data being collected around the Sea.
This first MIP Annual Work Plan demonstrates the breadth of monitoring and research at the Salton Sea, and we hope it will be a foundation for further collaboration and coordination. Although annual reporting is dependent on available funding, the reports are planned to also include a summary of data collected during each year and cumulatively as well as recommendations for adjustment and improvement of survey locations and sampling protocol. The SSMP is currently developing a resource to be able to hold the reports collected in one place for public use. Please note that this Work Plan may not reflect all the scientific studies underway around the Sea, as researchers and partners submit information on a volunteer basis. The SSMP team would like to thank all entities that participated in the development of the 2024 Work Plan and encourage additional partners to participate in future work plans. We anticipate holding an annual coordination workshop in October 2024 to develop the 2025 Work Plan. To ensure a productive workshop, implementing partners should anticipate providing a summary of scientific activities that were conducted in 2024, challenges and lessons learned from 2024 efforts, annual reports (if available), data needs and opportunities for 2025, and confirmation of anticipated monitoring activities in 2025. Working together we can obtain data that will assist in better management of the Salton Sea ecosystem.
SSMP Engagement Opportunities
REMINDER: Send Us Your Comments on the SSMP and Community Needs Report by March 26
Earlier this year, the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) released a draft of the Salton Sea Management Program and Community Needs Report for a 60-day public comment period, ending on March 26,2024. The Salton Sea Management Program and Community Needs Report identifies community needs related to the SSMP’s Salton Sea restoration efforts and lists current activities and potential opportunities for the SSMP to address community needs while implementing restoration projects.
Accompanying the release of the SSMP report is a public draft of the Salton Sea Community Needs and Recommended Actions Report by Better World Group Advisors. This report identifies community needs and recommends actions that can be taken by federal, state, and local government agencies, business organizations, philanthropy, community-based groups, and nonprofit organizations.
The SSMP is looking forward to your review and feedback on or before the end of the public comment period on March 26,2024. Please send us your written comments via email to cnra-saltonsea@resources.ca.gov or via regular mail to:
Attn: Salton Sea Community Needs Report California Natural Resources Agency 715 P Street, 20th Floor. Sacramento, CA, 9581475.
At the conclusion of the public comment period, the SSMP Team and Better World group will gather, and review all received comments to make necessary updates to finalize these reports. Once ready, the reports will be available at the SSMP website. CNRA is grateful to the community members, California Native American tribes, and regional partners who participated in this effort to identify community needs and detail what efforts and projects to consider as part of the SSMP
Salton Sea Authority Community Meeting TODAY
The Salton Sea Authority and its Project Manager, Gafcon are hosting an in-person community planning meeting for the Desert Shores Channel Restoration Project on March 19 at 6:00 p.m. A presentation will be provided, followed by a Q&A period. Participate and provide your ideas, thoughts, and input on the visioning, designs, and plans to restore the channels. Tuesday, March 19 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM 50 Desert Shores Drive Thermal, CA 92274 Spanish Interpretation will be provided. Habrá interpretación en español. Click here to view the event flyer. Visit the Salton Sea Authority website for more information.
Visitors Come to the Imperial Wildlife Area at the Salton Sea
Last month, members of the SSMP team from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) organized a tour with faculty and students from Wittenberg University. The group visited and toured around the Wister Unit at the Imperial Wildlife Area. The visiting students are majoring in environmental science, business, and economics and were interested in Salton Sea management activities; the role CDFW staff play in conservation efforts and the SSMP; and were also excited to see the waterfowl at the site.
Conversations with the visiting group included different topics like the importance of habitat restoration at the Sea and how the SSMP is engaging different levels of tribal, state, federal, local governments, communities, and non-governmental organizations to work together on the overall mission to restore habitat and increase dust suppression efforts. “One organization or agency could not do this alone. It takes the effort of multiple individuals to achieve progress for the Salton Sea. Working together works,” said Tonya Marshall, Salton Sea Program Manager with CDFW. Wildlife and bird species that utilize the area were also discussed. Below are some of the birds viewed during the tour.
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