Community rallies for dust suppression project
SALTON SEA — The residents of Desert Shores are close to striking an agreement with the Imperial Irrigation District that will help their community-based project, intended to minimize playa exposure.
For more than a year, the non-profit organization EcoMedia Compass has worked closely with the residents of Desert Shores to improve the water quality from the community’s harbor keys.
According to Kerry Morrison, the executive director of EcoMedia Compass, the IID has already agreed to sell three parcels of land, which the district owns for a minimal fee, in order to allow the local community to move the project forward.
The IID-owned land sits in the area where the proposed berm would be built.
The Desert Shores Restoration and Dust Mitigation Pilot Project consists of a proposed berm intended to close the outlet to the Salton Sea and allow imported water pumped from the lake to build elevation at the keys, which in turn prevents playa from being exposed to the local residents.
An IID official confirmed that both parties are near the finishing line on an agreement but final documentation for the acquisition of the property is yet to be completed.
“We’re trying to do this (project) as best and as quickly as we can,” Morrison said. “We want to improve the water quality in the area. We’re closing the outlet and put water in canals to a nice and acceptable level for the residents.”
The project was conceived as a result of the lack of state projects intended to mitigate the adverse health impacts generated by the ever-growing exposed playa for the residents who live closest to the Salton Sea.
Last year, the state unveiled a 10-year plan, which focuses on the north and south end of the lake, but failed to include dust suppression projects on the west and east portions of the lake.
Though the project has been in the works for more than a year, the residents of the area have gained much-needed support and momentum in the last three months to put the project in a position to become a reality.
“This effort is incomparable, compared to the pace of the state which has sat on projects for many years,” Morrison said. “It’s unacceptable, it has forced the residents to take matters into their own hands and lead by example. This is an amazing example of what we can do when we come together.”
Last November, Morrison along with a group of residents were successful when they asked the county Board of Supervisors to waive all permitting fees associated with the pilot project, in order to allow the community to use their limited funds for the construction itself. Currently, the community has relied on donated materials, equipment and volunteers in their efforts.
As reported last month, following the strong vocal support of the community, the state updated its 10-year plan, which will now include the Desert Shores keys project.
“I think there is a desire to help those communities to the extent we can,” Assistant Secretary for Salton Sea Policy for the CNRA Bruce Wilcox told the Imperial Valley Press previously.
“We’ve always had dust suppression projects in the area, but the community badly wants the harbor to be restored, and we want to see if we can make it work. These residents are also stakeholders in this process,” said Wilcox.
The local residents are still expected to complete the first phase of the project on their own since it would take the state longer to complete.
Once the first phase is complete, the state will then take over the project and explore options to reduce the salinity of the water in the keys.
Morrison said the community of Desert Shores is excited with the continuing progress and the recent milestones have completely changed the morale of the community.