Odor Advisory
Last updated 6/30/2017 at 12:09pm
An SCAQMD monitoring station immediately downwind of the Salton Sea detected hydrogen sulfide concentrations at 62 parts per billion Tuesday morning, more than double the state standard of 30 parts per billion. Concentrations of 42 parts per billion were also detected at a monitoring station in Mecca.
At those levels, people nearby can smell the odor and may experience symptoms such as headaches or nausea, according to the air quality agency.
However, SCAQMD says no long-term health effects should be expected in connection with those symptoms and that the odor can be detected even at extremely low concentrations.
The gas, associated with naturally occurring processes at the Salton Sea, may increase with shifting winds, particularly in the early mornings and late afternoons of the summer months, according to SCAQMD.
