In this file photo, Bruce Wilcox, at the time Assistant Secretary for Salton Sea Policy under the California Natural Resources Agency, discusses the concept of water importation for long-term Salton Sea restoration planning during a workshop held Oct. 4, 2018, at the Imperial County Board of Supervisors’ chambers.

A man who dedicated much of his career to Salton Sea issues passed away in January. His name was Bruce Wilcox, the former (and first) Assistant Secretary for Salton Sea Policy for the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA)—among other hats he wore related to the Salton Sea during his career. As opposed to reviewing Bruce’s long career and years of work on the Salton Sea, this blog coveys my personal experience and appreciation for a man I had the opportunity to work with and learn from on issues related to the sea. The message I hope readers take away from

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The above image includes a collage of photographs from the water-related issues covered on the Home Page water blog of this website and the Community Spotlight section of the site.

As 2021 ends, and we look toward a new year that will undoubtedly bring challenges—but also hope—this blog post seeks to reflect on the year from the standpoint of water and community stories covered.

It goes without saying that 2021 was a difficult year as COVID-19 continued its grasp on all aspects of life. Even in the face of the pandemic, the work of providing water as an essential service continued for every agency with the responsibility of making sure their constituents have the water they need to sustain their communities, farms and businesses. This past year highlighted the challenges statewide and throughout the Colorado River Basin associated with providing that water service in the face of a

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Pictured is the Managed Marsh, a key environmental mitigation project in the Imperial Valley funded by the the Quantification Settlement Agreement Joint Powers Authority. Phase three of the project, the final stage of construction, will soon be complete. This image is from the San Diego County Water Authority’s archives.

Nine thousand trees.

That’s how many (primarily) willows are being planted in the final construction phase of the Managed Marsh, a nearly 1,000-acre marsh habitat off Highway 111 between the city of Calipatria and the community of Niland in northern Imperial County. Funded by the Quantification Settlement Agreement Joint Powers Authority (QSA JPA), the habitat, located close to the Salton Sea, is a key environmental mitigation project to serve the needs of wildlife that depend on area surface drains in the Imperial Valley. With the planting of the 9,000 trees now underway, the Managed Marsh will be completed by

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