California's Plan to Save the Salton Sea

The Salton Sea is drying up, and California is poised to spend $383 million to keep that from happening. At stake are Colorado River water negotiations between California, Arizona, and Nevada.

1 minute read

March 20, 2017, 9:00 AM PDT

By Philip Rojc @PhilipRojc


Salton Sea

Akos Kokai / Flickr

Ian James covers a last-ditch effort to save the shrinking Salton Sea. The plan, which still needs approval from the state legislature, calls for "constructing a patchwork of ponds that will spread out along the lake's north and south shores during the next 10 years." Tetra Tech Inc. will oversee construction, which is slated to begin next year. 

It's not at all certain that the plan will fully succeed. "The construction projects will lag behind the pace of the sea's decline, covering up only a portion of the vast expanses of lakebed that will be left dry and exposed to the desert winds." Further complicating matters, "the flows of water into the Salton Sea will decrease under a water transfer deal and the lake's level will begin to decline more rapidly."

Preserving the sea is an environmental priority, but it's also a factor in state-level resource negotiations. "Last year, the lack of a state plan for the Salton Sea emerged as a sticking point in negotiations between California, Arizona and Nevada on a deal to temporarily use less water from the heavily tapped Colorado River."

Thursday, March 16, 2017 in The Desert Sun

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Bird's eye view of manufactured home park.

Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing

Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?

March 25, 2025 - Shelterforce

U-Haul truck on road with blurred grassy roadside in background.

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?

Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

March 27, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Close-up of rear car bumper in traffic on freeway.

Research Shows More Roads = More Driving

A national study shows, once again, that increasing road supply induces additional vehicle travel, particularly over the long run.

March 23, 2025 - Road Capacity as a Fundamental Determinant of Vehicle Travel

Two white and red Stadler electric Caltrain trains next to each other on a sunny day.

Which US Rail Agencies Are Buying Zero-Emissions Trains?

U.S. rail agencies are slowly making the shift to zero-emissions trains, which can travel longer distances without refueling and reduce air pollution.

5 hours ago - Smart Cities Dive

Front of San Diego High School with students milling around.

San Diego School District Approves Affordable Housing Plan

The district plans to build workforce housing for 10 percent of its employees in the next decade and explore other ways to contribute to housing development.

7 hours ago - The San Diego Union-Tribune

Red crane in foreground with New York City skyline in background.

Lawsuit Aims to Stop NYC’s ‘City of Yes’ Zoning Reforms

A lawsuit brought by local lawmakers and community groups claims the plan failed to conduct a comprehensive environmental review.

March 30 - New York Post