SSMP e-Newsletter — June

SSMP Project Updates

In Case You Missed It: Historic Milestone Achieved for Restoration Project at the Salton Sea

A group of people clapping with safety vests with water in the background

The Salton Sea Management Program (SSMP), alongside its regional partners and State officials, gathered at the southern end of the Salton Sea to witness a major milestone for the SSMP’s Species Conservation Habitat (SCH) project. Water was released into a newly constructed pond as part of the ongoing efforts to restore habitat, protect air quality, and support wildlife. The filling of the original East Pond and the East Pond Expansion will cover about 2,000 acres with water to create habitat and for fish and birds while suppressing dust from the previously exposed lakebed.

Implementation of the SCH Project was initiated in 2021. With the East Pond 1 Expansion, the project footprint has now expanded to cover nearly 5,000 acres at the south end of the Sea. Further expansion on the Center and West Ponds is envisioned, to add an additional 4,500 acres to the project — raising the total SCH footprint to over 9,000 acres. 

This milestone is yet another chapter of the larger Salton Sea Management Plan, which is accelerating restoration projects at the Sea to help protect local communities from harmful dust and restores nature.

Media Coverage:

LA Times: California turns on water to create new wetlands on the shore of the shrinking Salton Sea

Calexico Chronicle: Officials Celebrate Flooding of Expanded Habitat at the Salton Sea

IVPressOnline: State celebrates major Salton Sea milestone

We are Improving Our Website!

The SSMP website is currently undergoing maintenance as we work to enhance accessibility. These changes are part of our ongoing commitment to making sure our digital services are usable and inclusive for everyone.

While access to some documents may be limited or temporarily unavailable, please contact us at cnra-saltonsea@resources.ca.gov if you need assistance or have issues accessing a specific document.

SSMP Team

Employee Spotlight: Melinda Dorin

Portrait picture of Melinda Doring wearing a purple shirt with a blue background.

The SSMP is excited to announce that Melinda Dorin, from the Department of Water Resources (DWR), has accepted the position of Lead Manager of the Salton Sea Restoration Office (SSRO). Melinda officially began in this new role in May, and we are thrilled to have her in this new capacity. As SSRO’s Lead Manager, Melinda will lead DWR’s multidisciplinary Salton Sea team, coordinate with other DWR divisions and offices, as well as within the SSMP partner agencies, and other outside partners and agencies.

Melinda Dorin joined DWR SSRO in May 2020 as a Program Manager Since joining DWR, Melinda has managed several SSMP 10-Year Plan projects, as well as served as the lead for all SSMP environmental permitting and regulatory compliance. Notably, she led the development of SSMP 10-Year Plan NEPA document, Program Biological Opinion and Section 106 Programmatic Agreement that covers 30,000 acres of projects. Under her leadership, one of the SSMP projects has been accepted as a pilot project into the new (Jan 1, 2025) “Cutting the Green Tape” Restoration Management Permit process at CDFW.

Prior to joining DWR, Melinda worked for multiple agencies including licensing power plants, renewable energy, and environmental research related to power production at the California Energy Commission, water rights permitting at the State Water Resources Control Board, and on special status species for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Melinda has also worked as a contractor and for several NGOs. She conducted research in Costa Rica and worked with a BBC nature film crew. Melinda received a B.S. in Ecology, Behavior and Evolution from U.C. San Diego.

SSMP Partners

Audubon California Report Reveals a 15% Overall Increase Per Year in Shorebirds at the Salton Sea

shorebirds in shallow water at the Salton Sea

A new science brief published by Audubon California shows that a number of factors have resulted in an increase in wetland habitat at the Salton Sea, and that an increasing number of shorebirds are taking advantage of the changes — driving a growth rate average of 15 percent per year in waterbirds overall between 2016 and 2023. 

The report highlights the findings of bird surveys and habitat assessments, revealing that bird populations are responding to environmental changes at the sea. An Audubon bird count in August 2023 yielded a record 250,000 shorebirds sighted in one day.  The report also provides other findings and recommendations for a healthier and sustainable Sea as an essential oasis for migratory birds.

“We are grateful to our partners at Audubon for this valuable report, which provides critical data that will help advance our collective work for the Salton Sea,” said Joe Shea, Assistant Secretary for Salton Sea Policy. The SSMP team continues to work in partnership with Audubon California on its Bombay Beach Wetlands Enhancement Project, which will suppress dust while also creating managed wetland habitat on the east side of the Sea.  Audubon has also supported the SSMP by helping to address data gaps, collaborating in community tours, and supporting the work of the SSMP Community Engagement Committee.