The Impact of Local Hydrology and Irrigation Practices on Inflows to the Salton Sea

Formed from 1905-1907, after high flows off the Colorado River breached the Alamo Canal and flooded an ancient dry lakebed, the Salton Sea is now a unique agricultural landscape with 2.36 million residents. However, declining inflows have caused a suite of public and ecological health issues that the State of California is challenged to address. Through scenario-simulations in the Colorado River Simulation System, we explored how irrigation practices and local hydrology affect inflows to the Salton Sea. Sensitivity analysis found that inflows to the Salton Sea were most sensitive to Imperial Irrigation Return flows.