Despite the appearance of being abandoned, the Salton Sea water is regularly tested by the health … Luis Olmedo, the executive director for the Comite Civico del Valle, an environmental justice organization in Imperial Valley, said the area has long faced health problems related to air pollutants. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. It is safe to say: the Salton Sea is drying up, and it’s not safe for swimming, boating, kayaking, or fishing. "The Salton Sea in south California was created in 1905 when spring flooding on the Colorado River breached a canal," NASA's website spells out. "What you’ll observe in the animal is they go into convulsions and within an hour they're usually dead.". “What we’re seeing in these research studies is what we’ve always known, but the burden of proof is always on the population. "In the warmer months it's much more prevalent, because cyanobacteria prefer ample sunlight, full sun, and they like warm, calm waters," Giraci said. Salton Sea: The Salton Sea is is an endorheic lake in southern California, meaning that it has no outflow to a larger body of water. , Those are the really possibly hazardous areas you want to avoid," said Jeff Geraci, senior environmental scientist with the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, which oversees the Colorado River region. They can live in everything from snow to the ring of water around a lawn sprinkler. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Local residents … While many of the bacteria are harmless, some spawn nasty toxins that can cause convulsions, liver damage and other serious health concerns, officials say. An air pollution control officer and a naturalist examine the state-funded habitat restoration and dust suppression project at Red Hill Bay overlooking the Salton Sea … We can fix the Salton Sea toxic dust problem with a relatively low-cost, two-phase solution. To date, levels of detected toxins there have been low, but they're there — enough on occasion to trigger caution signs, but not full closures or danger signs. Without an adequate water supply, the receding Salton Sea leaves behind dead fish and toxic, asthma-inducing dust. The Salton Sea was created in 1905 when a nearby irrigation canal carrying Colorado River water breached and water overflowed into the lakebed for nearly two years. Video by Andi Dukleth. The exact mechanism that causes poisons to develop where farm runoff and warm water collide is being researched, but several studies have established the link, said Thomas Van Lent, director of science and policy at the Everglades Foundation in Palmetto, FL. New national water quality regulations were developed there as a result. “We’ve known that the byproducts of the agriculture industry end up in the Salton Sea. 1 p.m.Thursday, January 28, 2021 at It’s already known this soil and aerosols produced from it are toxic for birds and fish, but now this study shows they’re also toxic for humans. Pollution Threatens Calamity for a Great Wildlife Refuge. While researchers initially suspected avian cholera, a 2005 paper pinpointed microcystin - a poisonous form of algal bloom - in the livers of birds. For residents near the Salton Sea, the most pressing problem is the threat of toxic dust. "We do have cyanobacteria at the Salton Sea ... seven different species. The Salton Sea Is Dying—We Can't Let That Happen. Last year, both Diamond Valley Lake near Hemet and Lake Elsinore experienced heavy blooms and temporary closures. The Visitor Center is a great place to start the trip, so you can learn more about the history of the Salton Sea. Listen to this story by Shalina Chatlani. As the Salton Sea continues to shrink, “desert winds will lift dust from thousands of acres of newly revealed lakebed and blow it into population centers, … Testing of lake water during warmer months began two years ago, and caution signs have been posted when a high enough level triggers them. Salton Sea State Recreational Area. To view PDF documents, Download Acrobat Reader. RELATED: Project Takes Aim At Controlling Salton Sea Dust, Reported by Shalina Chatlani Biochemist Tom Sephton did a historical assessment of toxics in the sea's sediment and water column, and is finalizing a recommended program for Imperial County. Phase 1: Siphon sea water from the Pacific Ocean or Gulf of California to refill the lake to its 1907 level. Regional water quality board executive officer Paula Rasmussen said officials are examining requiring permits instead of waivers, in some cases. California’s largest lake is drying up. Saturday, January 23, 2021 at Anatoxin-a and saxatoxin are potent nerve poisons, and microcystin has been connected to symptoms ranging from sore throats to severe liver damage. Acrobat Reader. Mark Twain was credited for the saying; “There are lies, damned lies, and statistics.” I cannot help to think of this saying in the context of the Salton Sea Crisis. It’s also toxic — a looming environmental and public health disaster. Closer to home, there have been no reports of related illnesses in the communities along the Salton Sea, said Jeff Lamoure, the deputy director for environmental health at the Imperial County public health department. However, the amount of water flushed off farm fields is not nearly enough to keep the current lake level stable. "As we head into warmer weather, what people should look for is discoloration that doesn't match surrounding water, especially scum or foam on the surface or the shoreline. Text and … And in Brazil, 76 kidney dialysis patients died after intravenous exposure to microcystins in untreated water. "Walk a few hundred yards down the beach instead," advised Sephton. Geraci has done testing at the Salton Sea for two years. The shoreline would recede by up to several miles, leaving at least 21,120 … Millions of birds depend on a healthy Salton Sea—so do the area's kids. That runoff is high in selenium. By Gary Polakovic The Press-Enterprise. And as the sea shrinks due to the diversion of waters to urban areas, more of the cyanobacteria and other contaminants that currently lurk in the deeper benthic zone could be exposed, he and others said. Ahmed said plants in the area digest this mineral and release into the air as an aerosol, which is air filled with liquid or solid particles. Experts say the Salton Sea's exposed lake bed sends harmful dust into the air and into surrounding communities. To send a clear message to elected officials- it's time to Save Our Sea. Too many people are afraid to go in the water at the Salton Sea, but most of the time it's as safe as the Pacific Ocean water off the coast in San Diego, L.A., and other major coastal California cities. He, like Geraci, said the highest concentrations of contaminants are either in sediment on the lake bottom or in the deeper portions of water. As California's largest lake, the Salton Sea was once a destination people flocked to during the 1950s and 60s. It can cause hair loss, garlic breath and gastrointestinal problems,” Ahmed said. New, coordinated state and county programs could help. Hot weather is on its way, and with it, potentially toxic bacteria could bloom rapidly in California’s largest lake, the Salton Sea, and other waters on the receiving end of runoff from farms and golf courses or sewage spills. Ahmed said plants in the area digest this mineral and release into the air as an aerosol, which is air filled with liquid or solid particles. But visitors from around the world who visit, sometimes to let their dogs run or their children romp, may not know about the risks. But he agrees that as the lake continues to rapidly evaporate, dust from the playa could unleash new toxics, including those found in cyanobacteria. Evaporation of the Salton Sea’s water has also generated a rapid spike in salinity, which, in turn, has created an unstable ecology. RELATED: Imperial County Declares Emergency At Salton Sea. Massive die-offs of a migratory bird called the eared grebe occurred in the 1990s at the Salton Sea, with 150,000 dead in a single year. Above: Farming is a major economic driver in the Imperial Valley and it will continue to provide water for the Salton Sea. Keep up with all the latest news, arts and culture, and TV highlights from KPBS. Stop by one of the many fruit stands by the side of the road and indulge in local dates. Get the day's top news — ranging from local to international — straight to your inbox each weekday morning. University of California, Riverside research shows toxic aerosols could also be filling the air. Nellie McConell, who's lived a few hundred feet from the lake in Desert Shores since the 1980s, said her doctor told her that persistent nasal irritation and a polyp might be linked to dust from the dried playa. The Salton Sea is the largest inland body of water in California, and easily its most toxic. The problem is growing up and down California and around the world, experts say, typically wherever industrial agriculture is situated near water. Most at risk are pets and children, who may play in shallow waters and accidentally drink or inhale dangerous toxins. To amplify this issue that's paramount to us all, KPBS has launched a Climate Change Desk to step up our coverage of this existential threat including reported stories and interviews with experts and newsmakers. 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