Local & Community
New wetlands play important role for wildlife and health at Salton Sea
The Salton Sea is shrinking.
The sea formed about 120 years ago when a Colorado River levee burst, creating an extremely large body of water and a thriving resort town. But as agriculture runoff and evaporation impacted water quality, the sea slowly became toxic, turning the once vibrant area into a ghost town.
However, local groups are working together to change that narrative. The Sonny Bono Salton Sea Wildlife Refuge is an example of what life at the sea looks like when its supported and managed.
At sunrise, coyotes run along berms, snowy egrets forage for food and thousands of snow geese travel as a noisy flock. Award-winning wildlife photographer Paulette Donnellon spends her time capturing life at the refuge.
“It’s my therapy, we share this planet with these wonderful animals and birds, and just to be there with them and watch them, it’s very peaceful for me,” Paulette said.
These water birds are part of about 400 species who call the sea home for the winter. You can often find green heron, Canada geese, snow geese and great blue heron in in the area, as the Salton Sea serves as one of the only available resting points during their migration along the pacific flyway.
“This is one of my favorite spots to shoot,” said Paulette, “by the way, 70 percent of California’s burrowing owl population lives at the Salton Sea. Those burrowing owls have babies, and that’s the best time to watch.”
Despite the lively scene at the refuge, chemicals from agriculture runoff have turned the sea into one of the most toxic bodies of water in the state.
It’s also the largest, at 343 sq. miles, it’s roughly 3.5 times the size of Palm Springs.
But strict Colorado River water restrictions and rapid evaporation have taken a toll, causing the sea to lose a third of its water mass in just the last 25 years.
As the sea shrinks it becomes more toxic, posing as a health threat, and leading to a decline in wildlife habitat. Paulette has noticed a change in just the past few years.
“I used to see brown Pelicans out here, but you don’t see them at the sea anymore,” said Paulette.
But there is one positive change taking place, as the water recedes, a new landscape is forming. Thousands of acres of natural wetlands are forming, and they’re playing a critical role for wildlife. Unlike the manmade refuge, these wetlands are supported by runoff and natural seeps from underground springs.
“Naturally occurring wetlands began to spring up by the growing of plants like cattails and the bulrushes, a lot of natural wetlands have been lost due to development, and so any wetlands that can protected and conserved and managed is hugely important,” said Jonathan Shore, the project manager for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Jonathan’s team studies the impact of wetlands on the community, he says the ecosystems are also playing an important role in reducing the amount of toxic dust that blows to nearby communities.
“As the irrigation water flushes the barren playa, the cattail grows, the salt cedar grows, and that basically stabilizes the soil so that these particulate matters that could get blown up doesn’t happen and improves air quality,” said Shore.
These new wetlands are fragile, and without support, more water loss could cause them to collapse as quickly as they formed. Without the sea, it would push migrating birds and their food source like the desert pupfish to disappear. That’s why Jonathan’s team continues to create and restore more managed areas at the refuge, including marshes, open water and brackish ponds. Water for the projects is provided by Imperial Irrigation district.
Other projects are also underway to support life at the shrinking sea, it’s a large and expensive undertaking, but aims to ensure that birds, fish and nearby communities can rely on the habitat for years to come.
“There is hope that the projects that are being developed are going to create habitat that will persist into the future,” said Shore.
By: Pristine Villarreal
February 29, 2024
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