TSA-4: Environmental Technologies

Salton Sea

Since its formation over 90 years ago from an accidental diversion of the Colorado River, the Salton Sea has been a major economic and environmental resource. With a surface area of approximately 380 square miles, it is California's largest lake and a winter haven for migrating wildfowl as well as a major fishing destination. Because the Salton Sea is well below sea level, there isn't any outflow and consequently the only water loss is through evaporation, leaving the dissolved salts behind. The salinity level of the Sea has continuously increased until it is now about 25% higher than ocean water salinity. The last couple of years have seen major fish and bird kills, and many think these are due to the high salt levels. In any case, unless something is done the salinity in the Sea will eventually reach levels where fish will not survive. Los Alamos National Laboratory was asked by the Congressional Salton Sea Task Force to provide technical support for evaluating various options for remediation of the ecological problems in the Salton Sea. In the report found below, we examined the cost, salinity, and sea level changes resulting from three concepts for reducing the salinity of the Sea: desalination, pump-in/pump-out, and diked impoundment--and compared the results with "no action."

Reports

• Congressional Testimony - Evaluation of Options for Reclamation of the Salton Sea
R. Wayne Hardie
LA-UR-98-1408 (March 1998)
Download pdf (136 KB)

Photos

•Salton Sea Science Subcommittee Meeting
3 digital camera photos (May 1998)

Imperial Irrigation District main office
Imperial Irrigation District control room
Colorado River irrigation schematic

•Colorado River Tour and Mexico Workshop
40 scanned photos (April 1998)

Phoenix, AZ - beginning of trip (#30)
Palo Verde Weir - diversion for CO River irrigation (#31)
Large irrigation channel from Palo Verde Weir (#32)
Irrigation into wetland area (#33)

Tour boats on the CO River (#35)
Dredging unit on the CO River (#36)
View along the CO River (#37)
Imperial Dam site (#38)

Imperial Dam (#39)
Beginning of All American Canal (#40)
Imperial Dam (#6)
Channels to All American Canal (#9)

Front of Yuma Desalting Plant (#10)
Inside Yuma Desalting Plant (#41)
Onion fields outside Yuma Desalting Plant (#43)
Miralles Dam (#11)

Cienega de Santa Clara (#45)
Dan and Wayne (#46)
Gulf of California (#14)
Golfo de Santa Clara (#48)

Jason and Mike (#47)
End of MODE at Santa Clara Slough (#17)
CO River in Mexico (#22)
Pipes between CO and Hardy River drainages (#23)

CO River in Mexico (#50)
Laguna Salada (#52)
Wayne, Eugenia, Linda, Jason, Dan, and Mike at Laguna Salada (#53)
New River sign in the states (#24)

New River (#25)
Lined irrigation ditch in the states (#44)
Irrigation return flow into Salton Sea (#54)
Salton Sea Refuge sign (#55)

Geothermal plants at south end of Salton Sea (#56)
Alamo River next to the Salton Sea (#57)
Salton Sea recreation area - note the people (#58)
Fishing at the Salton Sea (#59)

One catch while we were there (#60)
Bombay Beach (#61)
Salton Sea from the north end (#62)
CO river aqueduct (#63)

•Salton Sea vicinity, Salton Sea hearings
12 scanned photos (August and October 1997)

Whitewater River near Palm Springs (#37)
Windmill farm near Palm Springs (#38)
Coachella Valley Water District spreading ponds near Palm Springs (#39)

Windmill farm near Palm Springs (#40)
Palm Springs (#41)
Salton Sea (#42)

Impact of Salton Sea's high water level on Bombay Beach (#43)
Irrigation canal in Imperial Valley (#44)
Salton Sea near the National Wildlife Refuge (#46)

Salton Sea near the National Wildlife Refuge (#47)
Sonny Bono and
Wayne Hardie
Water and Power Subcommittee