The Salton Sea Crisis: How Bad Is It?

For years, the Salton Sea has been shrinking, but the reality is far worse than most people realize. What was once California’s largest lake is now an environmental and public health disaster, with dangerous consequences for wildlife and nearby communities.

How Fast Is the Salton Sea Disappearing?

• The water level has dropped over 10 feet since 2003.

• It is losing up to 1 million acre-feet of water per year due to evaporation.

• By 2030, over 60,000 acres of exposed lakebed will create hazardous dust storms.

Without a water source, the Salton Sea is in a death spiral, leaving behind toxic dust and worsening air quality for over 600,000 residents in Imperial and Riverside Counties.

What’s in the Dust? A Growing Health Crisis

As the shoreline recedes, fine particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) and heavy metals such as arsenic, selenium, and cadmium are released into the air. These pollutants are linked to:

✅ Higher asthma rates (especially in children)

✅ Lung disease & cardiovascular problems

✅ Increased cancer risks

Communities downwind from the Salton Sea already experience some of the highest asthma rates in California—and it’s only getting worse.

Wildlife in Collapse: A Dying Ecosystem

• Once home to millions of migratory birds, the Salton Sea is now too salty and toxic to support many species.

• Fish populations are crashing, with massive die-offs of tilapia—the last remaining species.

• As food sources disappear, birds like the American White Pelican and Eared Grebes face starvation.

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Failed Promises: Where Did the Money Go?

Over $1 billion has been promised for restoration, yet little progress has been made. Bureaucratic delays, poor planning, and ineffective solutions have left the Salton Sea to deteriorate even further. We need action—not more studies, not more wasted funding.

There Is a Solution—But We Must Act Now

Despite the grim outlook, hope still exists. Large-scale water restoration projects—like importing ocean water via a tunnel—could stabilize water levels, restore habitats, and protect public health. But this requires bold action, engineering expertise, and public support.

👉 The time to act is now. Help us push for real solutions before it’s too late.