The National Audubon Society has praised California’s Legislature for passing legislation which will restore the Salton Sea, California's largest lake and home to more than 400 bird species - over half of all species found in North America.
After more than a year of intense negotiations, water agencies, environmental groups, Native Americans, and local communities reached a historic agreement to include Salton Sea restoration in the water transfer agreement.
“The Salton Sea is internationally significant, providing homes for migratory birds from throughout the Americas, as well as species unique to the lower Colorado River ecosystem. Protecting the great natural heritage embodied by the Sea is all the more critical since California has lost most of the birds’ traditional habitat.” —Gerald Secundy, Executive Director, Audobon California
This historic water transfer agreement establishes an important precedent for future agreements by requiring that transfer parties, rather than the public, pay environmental mitigation costs. National Audubon and others originally opposed the transfer agreement because it included $200 million in public funds to pay the mitigation costs.
Southern California’s Audubon Chapters have played a critical role in raising public awareness of the Salton Sea’s habitat value, and have championed protection of what has become a vitally important resource. The Sea is located in the southeastern corner of California, which occupies a desert basin known as the Salton Sink. Covering more than 376 square miles, the Sea is actually the state’s largest lake, bigger than both Lake Tahoe and Mono Lake.
The Sea and its associated habitats support up to 30% of the global population of American White Pelican and Mountain Plover, as well as significant populations of White-faced Ibis, Western Snowy Plover, Long-billed Curlew, Black Tern and Burrowing Owl. Restoration of the Sea is all the more important because California has already lost 90% of its wetlands, leaving the birds few other alternatives.
Michael Gore/BirdLife
Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus - one of the many species that will benefit from the new legislation.
After more than a year of intense negotiations, water agencies, environmental groups, Native Americans, and local communities reached a historic agreement to include Salton Sea restoration in the water transfer agreement.
“The Salton Sea is internationally significant, providing homes for migratory birds from throughout the Americas, as well as species unique to the lower Colorado River ecosystem. Protecting the great natural heritage embodied by the Sea is all the more critical since California has lost most of the birds’ traditional habitat.” —Gerald Secundy, Executive Director, Audobon California
This historic water transfer agreement establishes an important precedent for future agreements by requiring that transfer parties, rather than the public, pay environmental mitigation costs. National Audubon and others originally opposed the transfer agreement because it included $200 million in public funds to pay the mitigation costs.
Southern California’s Audubon Chapters have played a critical role in raising public awareness of the Salton Sea’s habitat value, and have championed protection of what has become a vitally important resource. The Sea is located in the southeastern corner of California, which occupies a desert basin known as the Salton Sink. Covering more than 376 square miles, the Sea is actually the state’s largest lake, bigger than both Lake Tahoe and Mono Lake.
The Sea and its associated habitats support up to 30% of the global population of American White Pelican and Mountain Plover, as well as significant populations of White-faced Ibis, Western Snowy Plover, Long-billed Curlew, Black Tern and Burrowing Owl. Restoration of the Sea is all the more important because California has already lost 90% of its wetlands, leaving the birds few other alternatives.
Michael Gore/BirdLife
Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus - one of the many species that will benefit from the new legislation.
