Salton Sea Species Conservation Habitat

The Salton Sea Species Conservation Habitat project is a restoration effort for the California Department of Water Resources to convert exposed lakebed near the New River into managed aquatic and avian habitat while reducing dust emissions that affect local air quality.

Kiewit Infrastructure West Co. served as prime contractor, delivering earthwork and water management infrastructure to form habitat ponds and support ongoing operations.

Work included:

• Embankments and habitat berms
• Habitat islands
• Pump station
• Labyrinth weir structure for gravity diversion
• Sedimentation and mixing basins
• Diversion structure routing New River flows into mixing basins
• Permanent operations and maintenance facility
• 1.25-mile causeway

Environmental protections were integrated throughout construction with on-site biologists and specialized training to safeguard endangered species including the desert pupfish and Ridgway’s rail.

The project created sustainable habitat features intended to improve environmental conditions near the Salton Sea while reducing dust emissions.