Early Start Habitat on Imperial Irrigation District Lands

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Early Start Habitat on Imperial Irrigation
District Lands
Salton Sea Authority May 15, 2007
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The Salton Sea Authority is seeking funding for
the development of early start habitat (ESH).
Definition of ESH is
ESH is a transitional stage between the existing
Sea with its range of prey species including fish
and a fully developed restored Sea with newly
created habitat. Scenarios developed for an ESH
program envision several thousand acres of
habitat developed at the north and south ends of
the Sea in advance of the major construction
required under any selected restoration
alternative.
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The goals for the Early Start Habitat project
considered here include

• Provide habitat suitable for fish consumable by
  fish-eating birds
• Provide shorebird habitat
• Provide wading bird habitat
• Provide proof of concept for saline habitat
  complexes, and demonstrate the viability of
  infrastructure elements
• Evaluate the potential risk from selenium

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Project Description

• Construct ponds on largely level land near the
  current margin of the Salton Sea
• Deliver water from the Salton Sea, blended with
  agricultural return water, to create an initial
  concentration of about 20 ppt
• Develop habitat features (deep holes, rock
  bottoms, perching and roosting pilings, etc.) to
  attract and nourish a variety of birds
• Develop a self-sustaining fish population in the
  ponds for the benefit of fish-eating birds
• Evaluate the project in terms of physical and
  biological activity to guide future ESH
  development

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View of existing similar projects Davis Road
BOR/SSSO shallow habitat project
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Aerial view Davis Road project (100 acres)
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Shallow habitat at Torres Martinez
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Aerial view Torres Martinez project (50 acres)
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Site selection criteria

• Agency land available for lease or deeding
• No conflicting land use, either current or
  committed
• Proximity to Salton Sea for brine source
• Proximity to New or Alamo River for non-saline
  water
• Proximity to electricity would be ideal (current
  projects pump with diesel)

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An important first step is the identification of
parcels of land suitable for this development.
The IID has several parcels that would suit the
purpose.
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Alamo River parcels
Alamo North
Red Hill North
Red Hill South
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Detail of project areas
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Bathymetry map of Alamo area
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Red Hill North Project Site 65 acres
Pump station
8,600 feet of dike shown, area is 65 acres. Drier
than land to south. Ag drain water from existing
pump station brine from adjacent Salton Sea.
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This land is vacant, adjacent to the Alamo River
and to the Salton Sea
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Red Hill South Project
Pump station
22,000 feet of dike shown about 550 acres.
Construct in water/saturation. Use pump station
at Alamo River for ag drain water use adjacent
Sea for brine. Dikes along roads may not be
necessary.
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Alamo North both wet and dry portions
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Bathymetry map of project area along New River
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Non-farmed land
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Close to Salton Sea
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Close to New River
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Project elements

• Dikes and earthwork (may use several different
  construction techniques)
• Piping for transmission and delivery
• Pump stations to move water from River and from
  Sea. May be one pump in some locations
• Habitat feature construction
• Research and monitoring installations

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Wet condition dike construction
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Dry condition dike construction
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Wet construction dike foreground dry
construction dike background and sides
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Dredge and rock importing may be required,
depending on the site selected. This is a levee
constructed with dredging in water at the San
Diego Bay salt works, using native material. It
has been in service for over 20 years.
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Method used in salt industry for dredged levee
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Dredging in shallow water and soft soils
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Pipe is buried when it is in a roadway
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Pump Station serves Sea and River
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Sump ditch connects to Sea
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Funding sources

• WCB (Wildlife Conservation Board) of State of
  California
• WRDA (??)

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Commitment from IID

• Low cost land lease or permission to use, with
  ability to make changes in project if and when
  necessary
• Long term lease arrangement for life of project
  (may be indefinite)
• Statement of land value, to go towards funding
  match requirements
• Granting of easements for pipeline installation
• Collaboration for construction specifications and
  for maintenance and operation activities may
  include installation of electric pumps instead of
  diesel

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We look forward to working with the IID on this
important project.