Predictions of impacts to the Salton Sea from a continuous reduction of irrigation water to the Imperial Valley of 250k AFY, assuming 80% initial fallowing, converting to 100% on-farm efficiencies over 55 years.
The 250k AFY reduction is currently planned for four years, but if drought conditions on the Colorado River continue beyond four years, the scenario shown is likely to occur.
Impacts include tens of thousands of acres of additional playa exposure, reduction of Salton Sea elevation to the point of the lake becoming a tiny fraction of its original size and salinity to dead sea levels, supporting almost no life.
(We feel this is a good reason to import water from the ocean for mitigation and desalination).
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