Heavy machinery is used to create the West Pond, a habitat pond, at the Species Conservation Habitat Project at the south end of the Salton Sea, Calif., Sept. 13, 2024.
California – After decades of environmental decline and failed restoration efforts, a new plan is emerging to save the Salton Sea, California’s largest and most troubled lake. This renewed push, fueled by millions of dollars in state and federal funding, brings cautious optimism to conservationists and local communities. However, political tensions, economic interests, and environmental challenges cast uncertainty over the future of the lake and its surrounding region.
The Salton Sea, an accidental lake formed in 1905 when the Colorado River breached an irrigation canal, once flourished as a tourist destination. But over time, agricultural runoff, rising salinity, and rapid evaporation turned it into an environmental disaster zone. Toxic dust, poor air quality, and ecosystem collapse now threaten local wildlife and human populations alike.
A recent wave of funding has reinvigorated restoration efforts. The Bureau of Reclamation has pledged $250 million in federal funds, with the first $70 million disbursed in late 2023. Additionally, California’s passage of Proposition 4 in November 2024 secured another $170 million for Salton Sea restoration, including $10 million for a newly established Salton Sea Conservancy. This state-led body will oversee conservation projects and ensure long-term management of the lake’s restoration.
“This conservancy is a demonstration of the state’s commitment to meaningful and lasting restoration of this environmentally overburdened region,” said California state Sen. Steve Padilla.
The funds will primarily support habitat restoration, dust suppression projects, and the creation of wetlands to provide refuge for fish and migratory birds. The Audubon Society has also secured over 560 acres near Bombay Beach to stabilize wetlands, further contributing to regional conservation.
However, restoration efforts face significant obstacles. California’s strained relationship with the new Republican-led federal administration raises concerns about the stability of federal funding. With ongoing budget cuts affecting national parks and conservation programs, there is no guarantee that the remaining federal funds will be fully disbursed. While Department of Interior officials insist that the money is “obligated” to Salton Sea projects, political shifts could alter the funding landscape.
Further complicating matters is the region’s increasing economic potential. Recent geological surveys indicate that the Salton Sea area contains approximately 3,400 kilotons of lithium—enough to power 375 million electric vehicle batteries. Dubbed “Lithium Valley,” the region is drawing significant interest from both public and private sectors eager to extract this valuable resource. The Hell’s Kitchen geothermal power plant, launched in early 2024, aims to generate energy while extracting lithium, promising economic growth but raising environmental concerns. Local activists worry that unchecked mining operations could further harm the Salton Sea’s fragile ecosystem.
Amid these tensions, the newly established Salton Sea Conservancy represents a crucial step toward stability. Unlike previous efforts led by federal agencies, the conservancy falls under state control, potentially shielding it from shifting political winds in Washington. As local officials and tribal governments appoint its leadership, all eyes remain on whether this latest effort will finally bring meaningful change to California’s troubled inland sea—or if history will repeat itself once again.
