The Salton Sea, California’s largest lake by surface area, has been experiencing a significant retreat in its shoreline due to a policy change that diverted more water from the Colorado River to San Diego.
A recent study highlights that this retreat is worsening air quality and generating more polluted dust, which is affecting nearby communities.
Researchers have forecast that the North Shore will recede by 150 meters by 2030 and another 172 meters by 2041 if current trends continue.
Between 2002 and 2017, the shoreline’s average retreat rate was 12.5 meters per year. However, since 2018, this rate has surged to nearly 38.5 meters per year.
Without mitigation efforts, the growing exposed lake bed, or playa, is expected to worsen pollutant exposure in local communities, according to the study.
Researchers warn that these harmful pollutants, such as hydrogen sulfide, are trapped in the dried lakebed and re-emitted as dust, affecting the health of nearby residents.
Balloon mapping offers a unique solution to document the shrinking Salton Sea shoreline.The study was conducted as part of a community science program involving local youth and residents using balloon mapping to document the shoreline changes.
This method allows researchers to cover a wider area than traditional drone mapping, which requires frequent recharging.
Ryan Sinclair, Ph.D., MPH, associate professor of environmental microbiology at Loma Linda University, noted that this research was driven by a direct request from the community, which wanted to engage in impactful research to better understand shoreline reduction.
The Salton Sea, located in the eastern Coachella Valley, has fluctuated in size for centuries, but its current water volume is largely influenced by agricultural runoff from the Imperial Valley.
Changes in water rights agreements in 2003 and further reductions in water flow since 2018 have contributed to the lake’s decline.
Local advocates, alongside residents, hope that the findings from this study will support efforts to restore the lake’s health and prevent further environmental degradation.