Salton Sea, CA Restoration

Salton Sea, CA, a very important wetland for all of its wildlife that is dependent on its existence, is threatened by the high concentrations of salinity.

In order to save all of the endangered species, new water must be pumped into it immediately, because Salton Sea has only a few short years left before the wetland can no longer support life. Please read below an article by CNN on this issue:

(CNN) January 16, 1998
Web posted at: 10:55 p.m. EDT (2255 GMT)

Salton Sea rescue to be named for Sonny Bono

Without help, California lake won't support life

SALTON CITY, California (CNN) -- A federal effort to restore California's decaying Salton Sea will be named after the late U.S. Rep. Sonny Bono, who worked to reverse the lake's myriad environmental problem

A congressional delegation led by House Speaker Newt Gingrich toured the area Friday. Gingrich announced that a bill setting up the Sonny Bono Salton Sea Restoration Project will be introduced on Bono's birthday.

But by the 1970s, as the sea grew heavy with salt, sewage and agricultural chemicals, disease outbreaks began to kill birds and fish. Tourists stopped coming, as debates raged of what to do about the Salton Sea's woes.

Experts predict that if nothing is done, the lake will not support life in 15 years.