Species Conservation Habitat (SCH)
This Project has an Update in progress.
Project Overview
Basics
Species Conservation Habitat (SCH)
Implementation
The approximately 10,000-acre project will provide important habitat for birds and fish and improve air quality at the Salton Sea. The SCH features include aquatic habitat ponds, berms, habitat features, water conveyance structures, and mixing and sedimentation basins. The SCH will provide feeding, resting, and breeding habitat for birds and fish, particularly fish-eating birds whose habitat is deteriorating quickly as the Sea recedes and becomes saltier. Emissive lakebed will be stabilized by covering exposed areas with water. The SCH has completed construction on several ponds (4,910 acres) and two ponds (2,010 acres) have been filled with a mixture of Salton Sea and New River water.
2011
2020
2028
9/10/2025
Project Attributes
Purpose & Goals
Purpose & Goals
This aquatic habitat project will provide feeding, resting, and breeding habitat for birds and fish including habitat for the endangered desert pupfish.
Schedule Status
Design
Complete
Land & Water Rights
Complete
Environmental
Complete
Construction
Complete
Notes about Status
None
Location
Organizations
Contacts
Melinda Dorin - California Department of Water Resources (DWR) (Melinda.Dorin@water.ca.gov)
| Contact | |
|---|---|
| Additional Contact |
|
Activities & Outcomes
Expected Activities & Outcomes
| Dust Suppression Acres Counted Towards SWRCB WR 2017-0134 Target | Type: Interim Dust Suppression | 500 acres |
| Fish and Wildlife Habitat Acres Counted Towards SWRCB WR 2017-0134 Target | 4,910 acres | |
| Public Amenities & Recreation Access | Amenity Type: Public viewing areas | 1 |
Reported Activities & Outcomes
| Dust Suppression Acres Counted Towards SWRCB WR 2017-0134 Target | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Total | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | Units |
| Interim Dust Suppression | 500 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 500 | acres |
| Fish and Wildlife Habitat Acres Counted Towards SWRCB WR 2017-0134 Target | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | Units | |
| 347 | 180 | 130 | 15 | 22 | N/A | acres | |
| Total | 347 | 180 | 130 | 15 | 22 | 0 | acres |
| Converted Acres | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Converted From | Total | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | Units |
| Interim Dust Suppression | 30 | N/A | 30 | N/A | N/A | N/A | acres |
| Endangered & Special Status Species Habitat | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | Units | |
| 28 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 28 | N/A | acres | |
| Total | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 0 | acres |
| Surface Roughening Conducted | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | Units | |
| 500 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 500 | acres | |
| Total | 500 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 500 | acres |
| Aquatic Habitat Created | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Habitat Type | Total | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | Units |
| Shallow water habitat | 310 | 180 | 130 | N/A | N/A | N/A | acres |
| Drain interception ditch | 37 | N/A | N/A | 15 | 22 | N/A | acres |
| Total | 347 | 180 | 130 | 15 | 22 | 0 | acres |
| No accomplishments to report for: | |
| Year(s): | 2025 |
|---|---|
| Explanation: | Nothing to report at this time |
Program Phases
Program Phases
Benefits
Benefits
Endangered Species
Endangered Species
Habitat Types
Habitat Types
Project Details
Attachments
No attachments
No attachments
No attachments
No attachments
Notes
| 09/10/2025 5:20 PM | Melinda Dorin | The latest Intermountain West Shorebird survey led by Audubon was conducted in September 2025. Results can be found here. https://ebird.org/checklist/S271358173 |
External Links
No External Links entered.