California State Parks is working to develop a general plan for Salton Sea State Recreation Area. The general plan will establish a long-term vision for a park to guide future development, management and operation. It will serve as the park’s primary management document, providing broad-based goals and guidelines for future recreation opportunities, resource stewardship and facility development, as well as park improvements, services and programs. An Environmental Impact Report (EIR), as required under the California Environmental Quality Act, will also be prepared as part of the general plan process to evaluate potential environmental impacts for plan recommendations.
The park was classified as a state recreation area in 1962, but a general plan has never been developed for Salton Sea SRA. Preparing a general plan for Salton Sea SRA is a priority for California State Parks because California law requires previously classified park units to prepare a general plan before the permanent commitment of park resources are made. Additionally, declining water levels due to reduced inflows into the sea continue to reshape past and current recreation opportunities at the park. A general plan will help identify [or define] new recreation and use opportunities for the future.
Salton Sea State Recreation Area is located along approximately 16 miles of shoreline at the northeast corner of the Salton Sea in southern Riverside and northern Imperial Counties. The state recreation area (SRA) occupies 15,000 acres of land and water in a region that is the ancestral homeland of numerous California Native American tribal groups and peoples since time immemorial. These include the Cahuilla, Kumeyaay, Quechan and Cocopah.
Salton Sea state park opened to the public in 1955, providing shoreline access and water-oriented recreation opportunities. The park was classified as an SRA in 1962.
In recent decades, reduced inflows into the sea have caused declining water levels and increasing salinity levels, creating a host of ecological challenges and adverse impacts to surrounding communities.
Despite these challenges, Salton Sea SRA continues to offer many recreational opportunities, including kayaking, camping, birdwatching, picnicking, photography, nature appreciation and hiking
Contact Us
Have questions or want to learn more about a project? Contact us below:
| saltonseagp@parks.ca.gov | |
| Website | www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=639 |
| In writing | Strategic Planning and Recreation Services Division c/o Salton Sea SRA General Plan P.O. Box 942896 Sacramento, CA 94296-0001 |
