The restoring habitat and improving air and water quality at the salton sea project (project) will restore water at the northwestern portion of the salton sea at the desert shores marina needed for…

The restoring habitat and improving air and water quality at the salton sea project (project) will restore water at the northwestern portion of the salton sea at the desert shores marina needed for habitat restoration and dust suppression activities. The project is within the unincorporated desert shores community that is located within imperial county. This cooperative agreement will assess the availability of local water supplies, design and implement a sustainable water body in the vicinity of the desert shores. The project activities to be performed include 1) water availability assessment, 2) environmental compliance and permitting, 3) project design, and 4) construction. The project involves the provision of building an earthen berm across the opening of the desert shores marina to the salton sea resulting in the development of a natural barrier separating the marina from the salton sea. The project involves flooding the desert shores marina so that the inlets will once again be covered by fresh water that allows the marina to be functional. Water sources are being investigated. Wells are needed and each well will need a different inflow point to improve circulation. There will be a pump powered by a small solar array for each well. The goal is to provide approximately 30 acres of aquatic habitat suitable for piscivorous or other bird species and to support sensitive fish and wildlife such as desert pupfish, snowy plover and burrowing owls. In addition, the project will develop sustainable habitat to support tilapia (needed to support piscivorous birds) in a sheltered harbor, habitat that has been lost as the keys became disconnected from the sea. Habitat benefits for terrestrial species and nesting birds are also anticipated through revegetation on adjacent land parcels.by providing aquatic habitat on exposed lakebed, the project will also reduce dust emissivity in the area. Lastly, the project's water needs, and associated infrastructure will be designed needed for future projects that will provide additional habitat and dust suppression benefits on neighboring lands that currently do not have a water source for project implementation. The intended beneficiaries are the salton sea stakeholders, including non-governmental organizations, water districts, local and state governments. This is a passthrough agreement, most of the work will be performed by the imperial county staff. The imperial county staff will procure all necessary contracts.