“We’ve known that the byproducts of the agriculture industry end up in the Salton Sea. New, coordinated state and county programs could help. UC Riverside toxicologist Sabbir Ahmed and first-author on the study says selenium is necessary for human body health, but not in excessive doses. Along the Salton Sea and elsewhere, conditioned waivers from state water laws allow runoff, but cap amounts of certain contaminants or use "best management practices" by growers and others. 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. Geraci said his annual funds for water monitoring have run out, but given the early onset of scorching heat, he'll probably dip into emergency funds to do some testing this month. Despite the appearance of being abandoned, the Salton Sea water is regularly tested by the health … 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. The problem has to do with runoff from the Colorado River entering Imperial Valley and going into the wetland areas around the Salton Sea. Humans have suffered painful liver bleeding deaths in China. Clear as day, circulating through the Sea, … In this case, we live in an area where the majority of people are living at a disadvantage.”. The source: The state’s largest lake, the 350-square-mile Salton Sea, was burping up hydrogen sulfide, a gas created by the decaying organic matter trapped beneath the water. The Salton Sea is expected to fall from 3 to 20 feet in coming years because of rapid evaporation and increased water conservation. Need help keeping up with the news that matters most? Why does Salton Sea smell? But increasing salinity from agricultural irrigation soon shattered the illusion. A partnership between the regional water quality board, the Imperial Irrigation District and local farmers to cap sediments appears to have cut down on the thick mats once present in the sea, Sephton said. have surged, "toxic algae" are being recognized as a growing problem worldwide. "As the lake is receding, it will expose a … While researchers initially suspected avian cholera, a 2005 paper pinpointed microcystin - a poisonous form of algal bloom - in the livers of birds. "We don't know exactly what the spark is," he said, "but the fuel is always the same thing: fertilizers.". Is Salton Sea worth visiting? The shoreline would recede by up to several miles, leaving at least 21,120 … Once a new fiscal year begins and the summer arrives, he and others around the state will resume regular monitoring. Just like green plants, all thrive when an overabundance of nutrients exists — particularly phosphorus from fertilizer runoff. But on a recent bright, calm afternoon, she couldn't stop herself from wading through muck to rescue a struggling painted lady butterfly out on the lake. 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. Even if they don't eat it, they're going to lick their fur and ingest cells that contain the toxins," said Geraci. 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 … Get the day's top news — ranging from local to international — straight to your inbox each weekday morning. 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. The Imperial Valley region surrounding the sea has some of the highest asthma rates, particularly for children. The California Harmful Algal Blooms Portal collects data from regional inspectors and posts them on a map online. The Salton Sea is the largest inland body of water in California, and easily its most toxic. 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. “Typically, the air masses from the Salton Sea area don’t reach these cities,” she said. Most at risk are pets and children, who may play in shallow waters and accidentally drink or inhale dangerous toxins. Ahmed said this preliminary study shows there needs to be more research on the soils around the Salton Sea and how it could be affecting the population. As far as toxins, we've observed three: anatoxin-a, microcystin and saxatoxin," said Geraci. Regional water quality board executive officer Paula Rasmussen said officials are examining requiring permits instead of waivers, in some cases. Get local stories on politics, education, health, environment, the border and more. The Visitor Center is a great place to start the trip, so you can learn more about the history of the Salton Sea. Written by Lindsay Fendt, Food & Environment Reporting Network. The dry lakebed already spews toxic dust into the air, threatening a … A previous version mentions fertilizer, due to misleading information from UC Riverside researchers. “The desert winds lift dust from the lakebed, and scientists fear that eventually the toxic residue of more than a century of agricultural runoff will be blown into the air — and into the lungs of residents. Stream now or tune in Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021 at 1:30 p.m. on KPBS TV, Imperial County Declares Emergency At Salton Sea, How A Dying Lake In California Factors Into The Colorado River’s Future, The Shrinking Salton Sea Endangers Region's Health, New Study Traces Airborne Dust Back To Shrinking Salton Sea, County Expands Coronavirus Vaccinations To Those 65-Plus, California’s Ban On Indoor Worship Upheld By Appeals Court, Rain Brings Urban Runoff Danger To Beaches, Bays, Gloria Earmarks $42 Million For Renters; No-Eviction Extension On Table, CHRISTOPHER KIMBALL'S MILK STREET TELEVISION: Vietnamese Every Day, San Diego Sets Single-Day COVID-19 Deaths, ICU Records, San Diego City Starts Business Outreach About Outdoor Dining Safety Requirements, Live Blog: County Expands Coronavirus Vaccinations To Those 65-Plus, County To Use Scientific Data To Justify COVID-19 Enforcement, DoorDash Driver: Vons' Shift To Gig Economy Is Driving Down Wages, KPBS Financial 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. Florida's Lake Okeechobee, one of the largest lakes in the U.S., as well as its tributaries and drainages to the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean, are now often covered with "guacamole thick" algae, Van Lent said, costing resort and tourist towns millions of dollars in lost revenue. “Selenium is an element essential for human health … (but) if you take too much selenium it can be bad for your health. IID did not respond to a request for comment. The International … The Salton Sea is Highly Saline, Gradually Shrinking. 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. "That's brown algae right there," said Jasmyn Phillips, a longtime Salton City resident who kayaks on or walks along the western shore of the lake several times a week. Fluctuations in the water level caused by variations in agricultural runoff, the ancient salt deposits in the lake bed, and the relatively high salinity of the inflow feeding the sea are all causing increasing salinity. Due to Federal, State and Local water policies the Salton Sea is shrinking, exposing toxic sea bottom thus posing a serious public health problem to the surrounding populations in the United States and Mexico while disrupting and destroying the migratory and nesting patterns of some 400 species of … Salton Sea State Recreational Area. "Eventually, we found it could lead to the airway inflammation, lung cancer, eventually Type 2 diabetes, this kind of stuff.”. University of California, Riverside research shows toxic aerosols could also be filling the air. He, like Geraci, said the highest concentrations of contaminants are either in sediment on the lake bottom or in the deeper portions of water. But visitors from around the world who visit, sometimes to let their dogs run or their children romp, may not know about the risks. After paying millions for municipal treatment and still being exposed due to agricultural runoff into Lake Erie, residents are trying a novel approach. ", As Salton Sea shrinks algae blooms proliferate, As Salton Sea shrinks dangerous algae blooms proliferate, Cyanobacteria, sometimes called blue-green algae, have been around for billions of years, and can also be red, purple, brown or pink, . But as large-scale agriculture. "Walk a few hundred yards down the beach instead," advised Sephton. New episodes are ready weekday mornings. Listen to this story by Shalina Chatlani. In response, a fifth-generation farming family sued the city, saying the initiative threatened their ability to properly fertilize fields because it could not guarantee that runoff would not enter the Lake Erie watershed. Geraci has done testing at the Salton Sea for two years. They can live in everything from snow to the ring of water around a lawn sprinkler. Phosphorous and nitrogen are the main culprits, and can be present in human or animal waste too. LATEST UPDATES: Tracking COVID-19 | Racial Justice. More than dust-filled air could be plaguing residents around the quickly evaporating Salton Sea in Imperial Valley. In the subsequent years, agricultural runoff from farms in the Imperial Valley has fed the Sea and prevented it from fully drying up. “What we’re seeing in these research studies is what we’ve always known, but the burden of proof is always on the population. Editors Note: This article has been updated to correctly report that runoff from the Colorado river carries selenium. Without an adequate water supply, the receding Salton Sea leaves behind dead fish and toxic, asthma-inducing dust. New national water quality regulations were developed there as a result. Video by Andi Dukleth. By Gary Polakovic The Press-Enterprise. Testing of lake water during warmer months began two years ago, and caution signs have been posted when a high enough level triggers them. 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. The lack of an outflow means the Salton Sea does not have a natural stabilization system; it is very dynamic. Since the Salton Sea is 236 feet below sea level, a siphon is possible and requires little energy. Saturday, January 23, 2021 at Created by a 1905 flood that spilled into the area, the Salton Sea rose to prominence as a resort town in the 1950s — “a waterpark playground in the desert,” according to a report by the BBC. "What you’ll observe in the animal is they go into convulsions and within an hour they're usually dead.". Text and … Without an adequate water supply, the receding Salton Sea leaves behind dead fish and toxic, asthma-inducing dust. The Salton Sea Is Dying—We Can't Let That Happen. She knows the warning signs well. Pollution Threatens Calamity for a Great Wildlife Refuge. San Diego news; when you want it, where you want it. He compared the runaway spread of bacteria when conditions are right to a forest fire. Last summer, pet dogs died in Fresno and New Brunswick. The Once Glamorous Salton Sea is Now Rife With Toxic Dust and Dying Fish The Salton Sea is a polluted accident turned natural resource, and the government is finally giving it … The Salton Sea has been shrinking for years, and fish and birds have been dying. We can fix the Salton Sea toxic dust problem with a relatively low-cost, two-phase solution. "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. When these lakes evaporate, they can upend industries and erase surrounding communities. Bahreini said dangerous aerosols can be formed anywhere there’s excessive selenium in the soil. California's Salton Sea, created by accident in the early 1900s, is set to become the latest casualty in the water wars, and is threatening to take the American West down with it. The results of exposure can range from heartbreaking to costly. Now it's a 'public health disaster' with toxic … RELATED: Imperial County Declares Emergency At Salton Sea. Hosted by Anica Colbert and produced by KPBS, San Diego and the Imperial County's NPR and PBS station. "And don't let your kids go in it. It can cause hair loss, garlic breath and gastrointestinal problems,” Ahmed said. The urgency of addressing human causes of climate change has long been apparent. Millions of birds depend on a healthy Salton Sea—so do the area's kids. And in Brazil, 76 kidney dialysis patients died after intravenous exposure to microcystins in untreated water. Keep up with all the latest news, arts and culture, and TV highlights from KPBS. Agricultural workers and communities living close to contaminated areas are more likely to be exposed. That runoff is high in selenium. 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, … But as large-scale agriculture and improved testing technology have surged, "toxic algae" are being recognized as a growing problem worldwide. Phase 1: Siphon sea water from the Pacific Ocean or Gulf of California to refill the lake to its 1907 level. Perched above frothy waves that roll across the sprawling Salton Sea, crowds of gawky great egrets nest in twigs of flooded tamarisk trees, guarding clutches of eggs that will be the next generation of birds to soar above this land-locked lake. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. + Subscribe to our podcasts. 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