Address the Survival of the Salton Sea

Your Aug. 8 editorial, “Don’t Let Salton Stop Deal,” accurately portrays the situation California faces on Colorado River water, but it should be noted that we have known the deadlines we face for years and have been unable to come to agreement on the details of how to resolve the situation. One of the important details is how the impacts of the proposed water transfer on the Salton Sea will be addressed. Your suggestion that the Salton Sea shouldn’t stop the transfer is shortsighted.

Contrary to the premise of your editorial, fallowing of Imperial Valley farmland is not inconsistent with preservation of the Salton Sea. In fact, it may be the only way that water can be transferred without seriously disrupting inflows to the Salton Sea, because a portion of the water saved by fallowing could be transferred and another portion could go to the sea.

I do agree that Imperial Valley farmers should not be forced to bear the costs of Salton Sea restoration, nor should they bear the costs of mitigating the potential economic disruption that fallowing of land could cause. That is the job of the state and federal governments, as well as the metropolitan areas that benefit from water transfers.

There is a delicate balance that needs to be in place to conserve agricultural water for transfer to your swimming pools, yet still protect the valuable resources of the state’s largest lake. It requires all involved to drop dismissive views of the Salton Sea and engage in the challenging biological, technical, fiscal and political dialogue required to sort out what can be done.

Tom Kirk

Executive Director

Salton Sea Authority

La Quinta