Click here to read the August edition of the SSMP e-Newletter. Read more about how Tropical Storm Hilary leaves minimal impacts on Salton Sea restoration projects; an interview with SSMP Environmental Scientists and Biologists about the desert pupfish; and upcoming engagement opportunities.
As communities continue to recover from the impacts of Tropical Storm Hilary, active restoration projects around the Salton Sea report minimal construction damage in the wake of the storm.
Species Conservation Habitat Project Accommodates Flood Flows
The Species Conservation Habitat Project (SCH), located at the southern end of the Salton Sea, saw an increase in flows from the New River as a result of the storm. The increase amounted to twice the typical inflow during the active storm period.
The New River Diversion Structure is a major component of the overall SCH Project. It is also a flood control structure that will allow for water to go through without compromising the integrity of the project.
The New River Diversion Structure was able to adequately capture and retain water as planned. However, the floodgates were opened out of an abundance of caution even though rain levels and New River inflows were below the forecasted levels.
Flood gates at the New River Diversion Structure were opened to allow water to continue its way into the Sea.
After opening the floodgates, water continued its way and streamed through the New River until reaching the Salton Sea. The SCH was designed and built to undertake a 100-year flood event protecting the overall integrity of the project and helping protect adjacent land properties from flooding.
Water overtopped the interception ditch going into the flood buffer zone, causing some sediment to be deposited or removed from the berm.
With the substantial amount of water that came in, the interception ditch, another component of the SCH project, did overtop into the flood buffer zone. The interception ditch is designed to do that, by letting the water flow by gravity into the flood buffer zone. As a result of the overtopping, some erosion did occur in the berm situated between the interception ditch and the flood buffer zone.
Vegetation Enhancement Projects Report No Significant Damage
Some grass bales were moved around the sites in areas with high water flows where water collected formed streams.
Although Tropical Storm Hilary brought in a significant amount of water into the Sea’s shoreline, the Vegetation Enhancement Project sites report no significant damage within the project areas. Storm runoff eroded soil and created waterways known as ephemeral streams. Now that these streams have emerged, the SSMP team can plan to capture, divert, and spread stormwater in a more controlled manner in the future. In addition, these storm events allow the SSMP to better determine and identify the best areas to place the grass bales. Displaced bales will not be returned to their original placement.
This picture at Clubhouse site near Salton City shows how stormwater spread through the site. Existing and new vegetation will benefit from the recent rains.
In fact, the substantial amount of water that moved through the project areas is significantly beneficial for natural plant recruitment and supports existing younger plants across all vegetation enhancement sites.
Events like Tropical Storm Hilary give the SSMP an opportunity to see if projects are operating as designed and how to adaptively manage each project’s maintenance and reinforce any specific areas.
The SSMP is advancing projects at the Salton Sea to protect air quality and provide critical environmental habitat for birds along the Pacific Flyway. The 4,100-acre SCH project, located at the southern end of the Sea, will provide important fish and bird habitat, especially for the desert pupfish (Cyprinodon macularius) that enter the Sea through the irrigation drains.
In a recent interview with SSMP’s Environmental Scientists and Biologists, we captured important information to share with you about the importance of this particular and iconic character in the Salton Sea’s ecosystem.
Members of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife provided the following interview:
Hi Charley, Sharon, and Brett, can you share with us some relevant details about the Desert Pupfish at the Sea?
The desert pupfish is the only fish endemic to the Salton sink and was listed as a California endangered species in 1980. It is a small, robust fish, usually less than three inches in length. The lifespan is typically one year but can be as long as three years or as short as six weeks. The desert pupfish tolerates an extreme range of environmental conditions such as: salinity levels ranging from fresh water up to almost double ocean water salinity (about 35 ppt); water temperatures as high as 108° F and as low as 40° F; and low oxygen levels.
Also, important to mention is that the desert pupfish may protect itself from threats and stressors is by diving down into the substrate.
Why is the desert pupfish found here?
Currently, natural populations of desert pupfish likely still occur in the Salton Sea immediately adjacent to irrigation drain and creek outflows, nearby shoreline pools, freshwater ponds and irrigation drains, as well as in portions of creeks/washes that are tributary to the Salton Sea. Desert pupfish historically occupied a variety of habitats ranging from springs and cienegas to margins or backwaters of large water bodies. Desert pupfish typically prefer clear waters having little to no velocity, sand-silt substrate, and moderate to abundant aquatic vegetation. These characteristics make the Salton Sink Basin of California, the Colorado River Delta, and Laguna Salada Basin in Mexico an adequate habitat areas for the desert pupfish to thrive.
What do they eat?
Desert pupfish are opportunistic omnivores, consuming algae, pieces of macrophytes, detritus, aquatic insects and larvae, aquatic crustaceans, snails, and occasionally their own eggs and young. They engage in pit digging, where the fish will excavate and defend an area of soft substrate while searching for food. Also worth mentioning that a study conducted in 1975 found that desert pupfish significantly reduced mosquito larvae, and therefore may be an ideal species to replace the non-native mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) in controlling mosquito populations in the Salton Basin.
Why is the desert pupfish important to the Salton Sea’s ecosystem?
The desert pupfish is also a source of food for numerous native and non-native species in the Salton Basin, including various bird species such as black skimmer (Rynchops niger), mammals such as raccoons (Procyon lotor) and coyote (Canis latrans), aquatic beetles, non-native fishes and other non-native fauna such as red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii), spiny softshell turtle (Apalone spinifera), and bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus).
How is the SSMP helping protect and enhance habitat for the desert pupfish at the Sea?
The Salton Sea Management Program is currently working to monitor and conserve the endangered desert pupfish habitat around the Salton Sea. The SCH project, although not fully completed and as work continues, endangered desert pupfish and a broad range of bird species already are actively using the new habitat created with completion of the interception ditch and other major important project milestones.
To continue supporting and addressing the need for translated information, the State Water Resources Control Board has created a Spanish webpage dedicated for the Salton Sea Management Program. This page mirrors the English version of this website, which includes direct links to the SSMP website and the Colorado River Regional Water Quality Control Board webpage, meeting announcements, past recordings, and other relevant documents. Presentations from the 2023 Water Board Salton Sea Workshop are also found in both English and Spanish.
Click here to visit the Spanish website.
The SSMP Community Engagement Committee will meet at 2 p.m. September 14 for a virtual meeting on Zoom. Spanish Interpretation will be available. Habrá interpretación en español.
Join us for a quick overview of the Community Needs Strategy document. Additionally, we will workshop the Outreach Plan and Engagement Schedule ahead of the 60-day public comment period.
Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82069914652
Or dial: +1669-900-6833
Webinar ID: 820 6991 4652
California Biodiversity Day takes place on September 7th of each year, marking the anniversary of the launch of the California Biodiversity Initiative in 2018. This annual event celebrates our state’s exceptional biodiversity, while also encouraging actions to protect it.
Come celebrate California’s biodiversity this year during the week of September 2nd – 10th!
Click here for more information and events. Please use the hashtag #CABiodiversity to share your biodiversity day adventures.
Follow us on Social
@CalNatResourcesJoin “Charging Ahead Toward a 100% Clean Energy Future” on 9.6 w/ Secty. @WadeCrowfoot; hear from #energy experts to discuss strides CA has made, hurdles we face, and the path to maintain reliable and affordable energy to power communities. Register now ➡https://bit.ly/45iHZTd
The SSMP Community Engagement Committee will meet at 2 p.m. September 14 for a virtual meeting on Zoom.
Join us for a quick overview of the Community Needs Strategy document. Additionally, we will workshop the Outreach Plan and Engagement Schedule ahead of the 60-day public comment period.
SSMP Community Engagement Committee Meeting
Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82069914652
Or dial: +1669-900-6833
Webinar ID: 820 6991 4652
Spanish Interpretation will be available. Habrá interpretación en español.
Click here to read the June edition of the SSMP e-Newletter. Read more about a group of high school students visiting the Species Conservation Habitat Project; A recap on the 2023 State Water Board Salton Sea Workshop held in May; An interview with Assistant Secretary for Salton Sea Policy, Samantha Arthur; and upcoming engagement opportunities.
Young leaders from the Youth Environmental Health Internship (YEHI), a program led by Comité Cívico del Valle, visited the Species Conservation Habitat Project (SCH). Students from different high schools toured the project site to learn how it helps protect public health by suppressing dust from the 4,100-acres project area. Salton Sea Management Program staff shared SCH project features that will mix water from the Salton Sea and New River and then spread it over exposed lakebed to suppress dust and provide habitat for the Desert Pupfish and migratory birds on the Pacific Flyway.
“I genuinely wish we knew more about this in our education system, because it impacts our health in the here and now,” said Terry Partida Rodriguez, a 12th grade student (recent graduate) from Brawley Union High School. “I think this was a great opportunity to learn more about the Salton Sea Management Program and to really see what they’re doing. I hope more people get the opportunity to get involved with the environment just like us!”
“I found the project fascinating and as an eye-opening experience because many people in the Imperial Valley don’t realize how much diversity we have,” said Fernanda Cruz, a YEHI intern and 10th grade student from Calexico High School. “The Imperial Valley can be perceived as a place with low biodiversity where we hardly see any species, however, that’s not the case. The SCH plans to recreate a large ecosystem for multiple species found in the area by combining water from the New River with water from the Salton Sea.”
On schedule for completion in 2023, the 4,100-acre SCH is the first of many projects the SSMP team is implementing as part of the SSMP Phase 1: 10-Year Plan.
The State Water Resources Control Board held its Annual Salton Sea Workshop on May 16 and May 17 at Imperial Valley College. A remote viewing location at the North Shore Beach and Yacht Club and a virtual viewing option were also provided. The public workshop included presentations and updates from multiple agencies and organizations working towards improving conditions at the Sea. Presentations included an overview of the Water Board’s role, an update from the SSMP, an overview of the Monitoring Implementation Plan, an overview of the Community Needs Strategy, a recap of the Salton Sea Long-Range Plan, and an overview of the Salton Sea Feasibility Study being led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. To enrich the conversations, the workshop also included panels with experts in different realms. The panels included discussions on hydrology and the Colorado River drought, habitat and wildlife, air quality and public health, water quality, and community voices and projects.
 The SSMP team appreciates feedback received from meeting participants, presenters, and attendees. The SSMP would especially like to thank the Water Board for providing an opportunity to report on major milestones achieved in 2022, share more about upcoming projects, address relevant challenges for project delivery, and reiterate the State’s commitment to meeting the acreage goals to suppress dust emissions and improve ecological conditions at the Sea.
Water Board members and the public provided important feedback and recommendations to the SSMP team during the public workshop. Recommendations included providing more clarity to tables and graphics to report on progress achieved, updating the SSMP website to create a better user experience, and including a project visualization tool to find relevant updates for SSMP projects. The SSMP team has taken plenty of notes and will work to deliver on the recommendations to help contribute to the transparency and the clarity of the program. The meeting recordings are now available at the Water Boards’ Salton Sea website. |
 The California Natural Resources Agency, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR), and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife are implementing the Salton Sea Management Program to address air quality and ecological threats at the Salton Sea. These agencies are collectively known as the SSMP team.
In this edition, we are putting Samantha Arthur in the spotlight to share more about her important work, as part of the SSMP Team. Samantha is the Assistant Secretary for Salton Sea Policy at the California Natural Resources Agency for the for the Salton Sea Management Program. She has been serving in this role since April of 2023. |
As Assistant Secretary for Salton Sea Policy at the California Natural Resources Agency, I lead the Salton Sea Management Program to address air quality and ecological threats at the Salton Sea. My charge is to carry out the Newsom Administration’s goal to stabilize the Salton Sea and restore nearly 30,000 acres of exposed lakebed to suppress dust and create habitat.
I enjoy working with such a wide range of people at the Salton Sea, including local community members, community-based organizations, local elected representatives, water districts, and federal agencies. In my first two months in this role, I’ve been struck by the dedication and passion of community members, agency partners and SSMP staff.
My most treasured experiences and memories are time spent with family and friends outdoors, whether its sports at a local park or camping in a remote wilderness. I think this must be what drew me to a career at the intersection of people and nature. I’ve continued pursue work in conservation and restoration for the opportunity to improve the wellbeing of people and ecosystems and for the challenge of working across diverse perspectives to develop durable change.
I envision improved air quality, improved habitat for birds and fish, and improved quality of life for folks living in shoreline communities, and Coachella and Imperial Valleys.
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Read more about the upcoming Public Scoping Meetings led by the US Army Corps of Engineers and other engagement opportunities happening in May.
The State Water Board will be holding its annual workshop on the status of Phase 1 of the Salton Sea Management Program on May 16, 2023, from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., and May 17, 2023, from 5:00 p.m.to 9:00 p.m.
The meeting will take place over two days and will provide live interpretation in Spanish, with multiple options for participation: 1) in-person at Imperial Valley College, 2) remote viewing at the North Shore Beach and Yacht Club, and 3) virtually via Zoom (to provide comment) or webcast (watch-only).
Every year, the California Natural Resources Agency provides an update to the State Water Board and interested parties on the progress that has been made on the Salton Sea Management Program. The workshop is an opportunity for participants to provide input to the State Water Board regarding the status of the Salton Sea Management Program. Input can be provided by submitting written comments in advance or providing oral comments on either day of the workshop.
Read the public notice and learn more about the Salton Sea and how to participate in the workshop at waterboards.ca.gov/saltonsea. For questions about the workshop contact Stephanie Holstege at Stephanie.Holstege@waterboards.ca.gov.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, in partnership with the Salton Sea Management Program and the Salton Sea Authority, are hosting two virtual public scoping meetings on May 18 to begin a new feasibility study.
Please join us in the upcoming Public Meetings. Both meetings will contain the same information. You can participate at the most convenient time.
When: Thursday, May 18, 2023. At 1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. & 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.
Click here to join the meeting: https://bit.ly/SaltonSeaMeeting
Or Dial In: +1 (305) 224-1968
Facebook Live in Spanish will also be available at “Salton Sea COEE” page.
This study will aim to preserve or restore ecosystems of national significance; address an identified threat to public health, safety, or welfare and/or preserve or restore habitats of importance for federally protected species, including migratory birds; and contribute to other ongoing or planned federal, State, or local restoration initiatives.
The environmental analyses will take into consideration areas including but not limited to effects to the human environment, biological and cultural resources, Tribal resources and consultation, and California Natural Resources Agency consultation. At this initial phase of the study, a determination for the appropriate level of environmental documentation has yet to be established. Additional outreach and engagement will be scheduled after this initial phase of the study.
Please note that the Corps is in receipt of the public comments for the Salton Sea Management Program’s Salton Sea Long – Range Plan. Those comments previously submitted will be taken into consideration as part of this study. This initial scoping period will be an opportunity for additional or duplicative comments and suggestions regarding the restoration of the Salton Sea and its tributaries.
Comments or suggestions will be accepted from May 8, 2023, to June 6, 2023.
Comments should be mailed to:
U.S. Army Corps of EngineersLos Angeles DistrictPlanning DivisionAttn: Emily Lester3636 N. Central Avenue, Suite 900Phoenix, AZ 85012
Comments can also be sent to CESPL-Imperial-Streams-Salton-Sea@usace.army.mil
The English and Spanish Public Notice can be found here.
Read more about the new SSMP team member who recently joined the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and do not miss out on upcoming meetings.
To continue delivering critical projects around the Salton Sea, the Salton Sea Management Program (SSMP) has filled a key vacancy at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (CDFW) Salton Sea Program.
 Samantha (Sam) Przeklasa has recently rejoined CDFW’s Salton Sea program as an Environmental Scientist (Avian Biologist) with a renewed enthusiasm for the region and the conservation work being done.
Sam has a B.S. from UC Davis in wildlife fisheries and conservation biology and an A.S. in Geographic Information Systems from American River College. She has previous experience working for agencies including USGS, U.S. Forest Service and CDFW focused on avian species including Northern Goshawk, Spotted Owls, Greater Sage Grouse, Ring-necked Pheasants and other upland birds and waterfowl. She looks forward to continuing to help with avian monitoring and conservation efforts at the Sea. She has a huge love of birding, especially by ear and enjoys native gardening (for the birds of course!). Her next love is coffee, and she recommends that everyone look up bird friendly coffee, a Smithsonian Institute certification supporting greater biodiversity in coffee production. She finds that the best way to learn about something is to experience it on the ground level in the field, preferably with her dogs. She looks forward to applying these passions in the field and to further avian conservation. |
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The SSMP team invites you to participate in its next SSMP Community Workshop on April 20 at 5:30 p.m. Attendees may participate in person or virtually and learn about projects underway and current planning efforts at the Sea; get an in-depth overview of the recently released 2023 SSMP Annual Report; and meet with members of the State’s Salton Sea team to ask questions and learn more about progress made at the Salton Sea during 2022.
Please join us in person at Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians Tameka Gym, 66725 Martinez Road, Thermal, CA 92274. Doors open at 5:00 p.m.
You may also participate virtually by clicking here: http://bit.ly/SaltonSeaWorkshop or by dialing (305) 226-1968.
Facebook Live in Spanish will also be broadcasted on the “Salton Sea COEE” page.
SSMP Community Workshop on Annual Report – April 20, 5:30 p.m.In-person location: Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians Tameka Gym, 66725 Martinez Road, Thermal, CA 92274.Zoom Link: http://bit.ly/SaltonSeaWorkshopDial: (305) 226-1968.Facebook Live in Spanish: “Salton Sea COEE” page
Spanish Interpretation will be available. Habrá interpretación en español. This meeting will be recorded and uploaded to the SSMP website.
The State Water Board will be holding its annual workshop on the status of Phase 1 of the Salton Sea Management Program on May 16, 2023, from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., and May 17, 2023, from 5:00 p.m.to 9:00 p.m.
The meeting will take place over two days and will provide live interpretation in Spanish, with multiple options for participation: 1) in-person at Imperial Valley College, 2) remote viewing at the North Shore Beach and Yacht Club, and 3) virtually via Zoom (to provide comment) or webcast (watch-only).
Every year, the California Natural Resources Agency provides an update to the State Water Board and interested parties on the progress that has been made on the Salton Sea Management Program. The workshop is an opportunity for participants to provide input to the State Water Board regarding the status of the Salton Sea Management Program. Input can be provided by submitting written comments in advance or providing oral comments on either day of the workshop.
Read the public notice and learn more about the Salton Sea and how to participate in the workshop at waterboards.ca.gov/saltonsea. For questions about the workshop contact Stephanie Holstege at Stephanie.Holstege@waterboards.ca.gov.
Click here to read the March edition of the SSMP e-Newletter. Read more about Assistant Secretary Samantha Arthur; the 2023 SSMP Annual Report; welcome new SSMP team members; and upcoming engagement opportunities.
Click here to receive Salton Sea Community Updates.
