"Averting Disaster: Action Now for the Salton Sea," is the title of the report from the Little Hoover Commission calling on the state to fund restoration projects from the Prop. 1 water bond that voters approved last year. The report says that toxic dust storms will result as the Salton Sea continues to shrink, causing harm to people, migratory birds and the region's economy. Irrigation runoff continually decreases and a 2003 pact allowing Colorado River water into the sea is set to expire at the end of 2017. The Little Hoover Commission plans to hold a hearing in April to monitor state progress. Commission vice chair Loren Kaye said, "Now is the time for action."

H. De Vaux III