Salton Sea Species Conservation Habitat Project

The Salton Sea Species Conservation Habitat Project, managed by the California Natural Resources Agency, implements a sequence of habitat and dust control projects around the perimeter of the Salton Sea in Imperial County. This initiative updates the 2013 Final EIS/EIR to incorporate the State's Salton Sea Management Program Updated Phase 1: 10-Year Plan. A primary component of the work is the Pupfish Connectivity Project, which focuses on expanding the East Pond to provide critical breeding, feeding, and resting habitats for birds and the endangered desert pupfish. Key construction deliverables include a 4,500-foot realignment of the West Interception Ditch, a 1,500-foot High Flow Bypass channel, and various maintenance features such as access roads, culvert crossings, and dedicated spoils areas. The project is governed by the California Environmental Quality Act and Lake and Streambed Alteration Agreements, with a focus on ensuring no significant environmental impacts beyond those previously identified. Compliance requirements include the implementation of a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan and strict protocols for cultural resource management, including an inadvertent discovery plan and archaeological surveys. Performance is measured through a minimum five-year monitoring period using quantitative methods like vegetation mapping and CRAM analyses, alongside qualitative site inspections. Additionally, the contractor must monitor air quality via PM10 concentrations and saltation activity, and conduct toxicity testing for substances such as selenium in ponded water and bird eggs.