More than a century ago, an accidental oasis in the California desert created a popular residential and vacation spot for families.
But over the last few decades, environmental experts say climate change and drought in the Salton Sea have led to a destination that’s been plagued with dust bowls, receding waters and other hazards.
An ongoing species conservation habitat project at the Salton Sea’s southwestern shore is serving as a reminder that the sea’s restoration remains a key priority for Gov. Gavin Newsom.
So, too, is a tour that dozens of state, federal and local stakeholders took of the project site where the New River enters the Salton Sea several miles west of Westmorland on Friday, Dec. 10.
Among those present was California Natural Resources Agency Secretary Wade Crowfoot, who said the tour was an acknowledgement of the ambitious Salton Sea Management Program’s progress and the overall work that remains to be done.
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has awarded a $1 million grant for the first phase of construction of the Loma Alta Slough wetlands enhancement project. The work, which could begin in late 2022, will restore and enhance six acres of coastal wetland and upland habitat along the Loma Alta Creek near Buccaneer Beach in south Oceanside. Plans include more than 1,500 feet of nature trails with educational signs and connections to nearby facilities such as Buccaneer Park.
Buried in San Diego County’s lagoons are centuries worth of carbon, cached in muddy stockpiles that scientists say could help combat climate change. Recently, scientists with the conservation organization Wildcoast and Scripps Institution of Oceanography started studying how much carbon coastal wetlands can capture, and how to restore these environments to boost that capacity.
Southern California Democrats Rep. Raul Ruiz and Rep. Juan Vargas introduced a new bill on Thursday that would force the federal government to take a more active role in funding and managing Salton Sea habitat restoration and dust suppression.
HR 8775, the Salton Sea Public Health and Environmental Protection Act, would create an interagency working group called the Salton Sea Management Council to coordinate projects around the lake’s receding shoreline.
The National Fish & Wildlife Foundation awarded Oceanside’s water utilities department a $175,000 grant to assist with the city’s Loma Alta Slough wetlands project, officials said Thursday. The project is intended to restore and enhance approximately six acres of coastal wetland and upland habitat near Buccaneer Beach in south Oceanside.
Westlands Water District announced Wednesday that it recently completed the Lower Yolo Restoration Project, which restored the habitat for fish and other wildlife species in part of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
California officials pressed Congress yesterday to step up federal efforts to address the rapidly growing public health crisis at the Salton Sea. Located near the Mexico border, the sea is California’s largest lake, covering more than 300 square miles. But the Salton is rapidly drying up due to reduced agricultural runoff, drought, heat and a 2003 water transfer that let San Diego take its water.
Two projects underway will enhance fish habitat and water quality at Murray Reservoir.
The reservoir in Mission Trails Regional Park is owned by the City of San Diego and operated by its Public Utilities Department.
“As stewards of the area, it is important for us to improve and enhance the environment in and around Murray Reservoir,” said Shauna Lorance, director of the San Diego Public Utilities Department. “Working closely with state and local agencies allows us to better achieve this goal.”
Over the next six months, the Urban Corps of San Diego County will remove non-native plants and trees along Airoso Avenue to Murray Dam as part of the Chaparral Canyon Habitat Restoration Project.
The removal of invasive plants and native habitat restoration will directly benefit the City of San Diego and the San Diego River Conservancy by improving water quality in the San Diego River, reducing the canyon’s vulnerability to wildfires.
Funding for the $382,513 project comes from the San Diego River Conservancy and the California’s Water Quality, Supply and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014.
In addition, the city is working with California Department of Fish and Wildlife on a fisheries habitat enhancement project at Murray Reservoir through June 2020. The project is intended to increase fish abundance and angling opportunities for the public by adding fish habitat structures to the reservoir.
The fish habitat structures, including brush and synthetic materials, will provide the type of physical cover that several fish species prefer to nest near. The new structures are intended to increase reproduction and provide additional areas where juvenile and adult fish can avoid predation.
Murray Reservoir is open daily from sunrise to sunset and closed on Christmas and New Year’s Day. A valid California Fishing License is required for anglers 16 years of age or older.
The Water News Network is San Diego County’s source for water news and information.
