Salton Sea Restoration
Abstract
The Salton Sea - a lake located in Southern California - is the largest inland water body in the state. The sea has few natural inlets of water and no natural outlets, and it is largely sustained by agricultural runoff from farmlands in the Imperial and Coachella Valleys. In recent decades, agricultural runoff to the Salton Sea has diminished due to changes in agricultural production, evaporation, and reduced precipitation, causing the sea to shrink and increase in salinity. High salinity levels, combined with greater concentrations of nutrients and toxins, have altered the sea's ecosystem and surrounding habitat, making it difficult for most fish and bird species to survive. The Salton Sea's diminishing size also has exposed lake bed (i.e., playa) around the sea's shoreline; this playa contains toxic substances that circulate in the air and impair local and regional air quality.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2020
- Accession Number
- AD1171929
Entities
People
- Charles V. Stern
- Pervaze A. Sheikh
Organizations
- Library of Congress