The New River West Dust Suppression Project is one of the locations in the first series of dust suppression projects under the state’s 10-year plan to improve air quality and provide critical habitat for birds at the Salton Sea. The 302-acre project was completed in early 2020. The project included installation of furrows, or trenches, on the surface of exposed lakebed. These furrows were constructed perpendicular to the direction of high winds, leaving the ground surface resembling a ruffled potato chip. As wind sweeps over the ground, the furrows slow down the wind and significantly reduce the amount of dust released into the air.