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Salton Sea in LA Times

 

Last updated 8/31/2016 at 10:42am

The LA Times today claims that the 'State is years behind on projects to protect wildlife at Salton Sea, officials and activists say'. A statement that is difficult to argue with.

'The California Legislature appropriated money to start designing projects to restore wildlife habitat and control dust at the steadily receding salt lake in 2010.

But lawmakers did not approve funding to actually begin construction on those conservation efforts until June of this year, when they included $80.5 million in the state budget for a few modest habitat projects scheduled for sometime next year, state officials said. Those projects comprise the first phase of a proposed long-term Salton Sea restoration effort estimated to cost about $3 billion.

"The state has been dallying." saysTimothy Bradley, professor of ecology and director of UC Irvine’s Salton Sea Initiative.

In the meantime, critics say, record-high salinity levels, die-offs of perch-like fish called tilapia, fewer birds and a "bathtub ring" of dusty playas stand as ecological emblems of what has not been accomplished.

To read the full article - http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-salton-sea-projects-20160810-snap-story.html