Colburn on the Salton Sea

The perspective offered by Ivan P. Colburn in “Salton Sea Is Dead--Keep It That Way” (Commentary, June 18) minimizes the importance of the Salton Sea to migratory birds. He suggests that the birds could revert to the stopover sites they used before the sea was formed.

It is the loss and degradation of wetland habitats--over 90% have been paved over, developed or otherwise degraded--throughout Southern California that have made the Salton Sea so important. The Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge has recorded nearly 400 species of birds, one of the highest totals in the entire national refuge system.

The salinity of the Salton Sea is not “three times that of ocean water.” Ocean water has a salinity of about 35 parts per thousand (ppt). The salinity of the Salton Sea is approximately 44 ppt, or about 26% greater than that of ocean water. If the Salton Sea were actually as saline as Colburn believes, then it could not support, as it does, one of the most productive inland fisheries in the entire U.S.

No one disputes that the Salton Sea does have water quality problems beyond rising salinity. But the available data indicate that nutrient loading has been constant and pesticide and industrial pollution (the latter from Mexico) have actually declined in recent years. These problems did not keep the sea from being a popular sport fishery and recreational mecca from the 1950s into the 1980s--before salinity rose noticeably above ocean water levels.

The Clinton administration, Congress, California and the Torres-Martinez tribe recognize the value of the sea and are part of combined efforts with the Salton Sea Authority to save the sea.

TELLIS CODEKAS, Pres.

Salton Sea Authority, Indio

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Fixing the problems of the Salton Sea will not be easy, but it will not be as hard as implied by Colburn. The salt level is increasing quite slowly and recent bird die-offs are almost certainly due not to salinity but rather to eutrophication caused by runoff of excess nutrients generated by agricultural operations, both farming and feedlots. Reduction of pollutants from these sources is essential. The sea doesn’t need more water; it needs less wasted fertilizer and manure.

VICTOR LEIPZIG

Huntington Beach