Futile or Fertile? Exploratory Strategies in Playa Management and Habitat Revivalism at the Salton Sea

In recent memory, the scale has been tipped against the Salton Sea. To the south, America’s bread basket basks in borderland heat while draining enough water to sustain 80 million people into the Sea each day. Still, the Sea is receding faster than ever -- nearly 3 inches per year -- exposing miles of nutrient-dense playa. Generations of agricultural runoff have saturated the sea floor with salts and selenium, the latter of which grows more toxic when exposed to sunlight, oxygen, and wind.

The site extending North from Poe Road is one of the shallowest in the Sea, which means its playa is being exposed at a faster pace. Deep, sandy soil is prevalent within the site, ideal for establishing vital vegetation. This area has little to no direct drainage from the New River -- its primary source is from three agriculture drains. We propose utilizing the water from the drains to revive new habitat for Desert Pupfish and migratory birds in hopes to sustain their populations. Residual water will seasonally fill tillage swales to mitigate wind erosion and provide optimal conditions for establishing vegetation. The extremely salty seawater will be sequestered to brine ponds and salt flats, which reduces wind erosion. Roughly 44 acres of algal ponds will remove up to 80% of the selenium within the entire site. Finally, the vast stretches of clay-like playa will be tilled an oblique crosshatch to withstand variations in wind patterns.