Initiatives aim to protect Salton Sea
The federal government is stepping up its commitment to the Salton Sea and exploring the possibility of buying geothermal energy from the Imperial Valley in a series of moves that could help fund restoration projects at California’s largest lake and maybe pave the way for a multistate agreement to use less Colorado River water.
The unveiling of those initiatives was timed to coincide with President Obama’s trip Wednesday for the 20th annual Lake Tahoe Summit.
According to a statement from the White House, Wednesday’s announcements included:
A memorandum of understanding between the state and federal governments on the Salton Sea, designed to speed up projects that protect human health and the environment.
A “request for information” through which the federal government will explore whether it can buy 100 to 250 megawatts of geothermal power from the Salton Sea area.
Possible funding from a non-profit group called the Water Funder Initiative, which has set a goal of providing $10 million over five years to support Salton Sea restoration.
The White House’s interest in the Salton Sea comes at a precarious time for the beleaguered lake, which is shrinking as farm runoff declines. As dry lakebed is exposed, gusting winds kick up dust laced with pesticides and other chemicals, polluting the desert air. Fish are dying en masse as the lake gets too salty to support much life, and migrating birds that travel from Alaska to South America are seeing a critical inland stopover disappear.
The Pacific Institute, a water think tank, estimated Californians could face up to $70 bil- lion in costs as the lake deteriorates.
The rock formations beneath the Salton Sea contain one of the most powerful geothermal reservoirs in the world, and local agencies, including the Imperial Irrigation District, have long argued that fees paid by geothermal companies could help fund Salton Sea restoration.
Geothermal development has largely stalled in recent years because of the technology’s high upfront costs.