Upcoming Projects

HQ Ponds Rehabilitation (B/C/D Ponds) – Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge

The refuge’s HQ Pond complex (B, C, and D ponds) is a high‑value managed wetland system that supports migratory waterfowl and other wetland‑dependent wildlife. Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR actively manages thousands of acres of wetlands/fields for migratory birds, including irrigated forage crops and seasonal duck ponds; reliable water delivery and drawdown control at HQ Ponds is therefore critical to maintaining refuge-wide waterfowl habitat function.

Needs for Ponds

1. Broken/undersized water control structures limiting water delivery and drawdown capability.

2. Silt buildup in D Pond reducing open‑water depth and limiting waterfowl use.

3. Extensive cattail expansion from a lack of recent mechanical management.

4. Elevated selenium in surface soils in B Pond associated with prolonged flooding, requiring targeted soil removal and re‑contouring to restore habitat function.

Startup Stage

Restoration of Fencing of Coachella Valley National Wildlife Refuge

Salton Sea Conservation Coalition (SSCC) is restoring damaged dune habitat in the Coachella Valley National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) Preserve—part of the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge Complex—where illegal off-highway vehicle (OHV) trespass has created active corridors and ongoing ecological harm. The Refuge protects 3,709 acres of remnant aeolian and fluvial dunes that support endemic, sensitive wildlife, including the federally threatened Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard and the federally endangered Coachella Valley milk-vetch. SSCC’s project will repair and strengthen boundary fencing to deter trespass, remove invasive Sahara mustard along active corridors, and reduce vehicle-driven seed spread that accelerates invasion. Because Sahara mustard can stabilize dunes and alter natural sand movement, its removal is essential to maintaining dune dynamics and habitat integrity. The project is implemented with the Refuge’s oversight and in-kind support from the Urban Conservation Corps (invasive monitoring/management and fence upkeep) and the University of California, Riverside (wildlife monitoring).