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1 1 (February 12, 2019)

handle is hein.crs/govyeg0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congressional Research Service Infor ~nfr g he legi lative lebate since 1914 February 12, 2019 Salton Sea Management and Restoration Efforts The Salton Sea in Southern California is the state's largest inland body of water. The Salton Sea was created when a canal gate broke in 1905, allowing Colorado River water into the basin. It is now sustained by agricultural runoff from farmlands in the Imperial and Coachella Valleys. Though saltier than the ocean, it provides permanent and temporary habitat for many species of plants and animals, including several endangered species. It also serves as a recreational area for the region. The Salton Sea has been altered by increasing salinity and decreasing size caused by steadily decreasing water flows into the sea (in part due to a reduction in Colorado River water used for irrigation). High salinity and shrinking lake area have been linked to habitat changes and stressed populations of plants and animals, economic losses in the region, and impaired air quality. Figure I. Map of Salton Sea and Vicinity Source: California Legislative Analyst's Office, The Salton Sea: A Status Update, August 29, 2018. State and federal agencies have studied how best to manage the Salton Sea in a sustainable manner, but major plans have yet to be implemented. Previous investigations have provided baseline data about the sea, and, in recent years, both the State of California (through the California Natural Resources Agency) and the Imperial Irrigation District (IID) have proposed comprehensive restoration/mitigation plans. Recent drought response plans for the Colorado River are connected to the fate of the Salton Sea. IID, the largest water rights holder on the Colorado River, has refused to approve the drought plan for the Lower Colorado River Basin without assurances related to Salton Sea restoration. In addition to the sea's connection to the Colorado River, congressional interest in the Salton Sea stems, in part, from concern that dust from exposed lake beds could lead to airborne pollution and that deteriorating conditions could affect species listed under the federal and state endangered species acts, as well as other species. Background Beginning in 1901, irrigation canals were dug to divert a portion of the Colorado River to irrigate agricultural fields in the Imperial Valley within the Salton Basin. In 1905, water broke through a canal headgate, causing an uncontrolled release of Colorado River water from the canal and forming the Salton Sea. Water flowed uninterrupted for nearly 18 months, filling the Salton Sea, before it could be redirected to the Gulf of California. The Salton Sea formed as a closed basin with no outlets, which is still its condition today. The sea consisted largely of fresh water at its creation; however, evaporation and dissolving soil minerals have steadily increased its salinity over time. Subsequent development of the Colorado River by the federal government (including construction of Hoover Dam and the All-American Canal in 1928) allowed water from the Colorado River to be transferred to the Imperial Valley for irrigation. After flowing through agricultural lands, this water drained into the Salton Sea, thereby replacing water lost to evaporation. In the 1920s, President Coolidge issued public water and reserve orders for the withdrawal of lands related to the Salton Sea. Today, lands in and around the sea are managed by a patchwork of federal, state, and local owners. Although the Salton Sea was a popular destination for sportfishing and tourism in the 1950s, a combination of factors led to a decline in recreation and development of the area in the 1960s. Over the last several decades, water levels in the Salton Sea have declined and salinity has increased. Salinity levels in the sea are approximately 50% greater than ocean water and are increasing. Few fish can survive in these waters. Some predict that all species of fish may disappear from the sea as early as 2023. The Salton Sea is also an important stop for birds on the Pacific Flyway, many of which rely on the fish and invertebrates in the sea for sustenance. Finally, declining lake levels also expose lake beds (or playa) on the shores of the Salton Sea. The lake beds are covered with fine sediments, some of which contain toxic substances such as selenium and ittps://crsreports.congress 0

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