Integrating Science and Management for Restoration of the Salton Sea, California

The Salton Sea provides critical irreplaceable habitat for migratory birds and is an important cultural and recreational resource. Water transfers from agricultural uses in the Imperial Valley to municipal uses in southern California will decrease agricultural return flow to the Salton Sea and result in loss of aquatic and wetland habitat, increased salinity, accelerated receding of the lake level, and degraded air quality if no action is taken. Created saline habitat is being evaluated as a means of providing safe and productive habitat for fish and migratory birds while also serving as one method of controlling soil emissivity. The U.S. Geological Survey is assisting in restoration planning for California's largest lake by facilitating science evaluations and oversight, collaborating in the preparation of a comprehensive monitoring and assessment plan, and helping to link resource managers with the scientific community through the implementation of a comprehensive Strategic Science Plan addressing diverse issues such as biological sustainability, water and air quality, contaminants, and socioeconomic values.