California Construction News staff writer
The New River Improvement Project, a long-awaited public health initiative that aims to restore one of California’s most polluted waterways, is completed.
The project, part of the broader Salton Sea Management Program, addresses decades of contamination flowing north from Mexico through the New River and into the heart of Calexico.
The $46.5 million effort—funded by the California Department of Water Resources, the State Water Resources Control Board and California State Parks—prevents heavily polluted water from traveling through a 1.5-mile stretch of the river within the city.
“The New River Improvement Project helps further state efforts to ensure that every Californian has access to clean, safe and affordable water,” said Karla Nemeth, director of the Department of Water Resources. “The completion of this project is a major milestone for DWR, its partners and the city of Calexico.”
The project includes a trash screen to remove solid waste, a diversion structure to redirect polluted flows into a bypass pipeline and a pump-back system to reintroduce treated wastewater into the riverbed—restoring flow and supporting the local ecosystem.
“We are here today because it is time to renew the New River and make it a symbol of the environmental restoration possible when we come together,” said E. Joaquin Esquivel, chair of the State Water Resources Control Board. “I am excited about what this project will accomplish for wildlife and nearby communities.”
Managed by the city of Calexico, the project highlights a collaborative effort between local and state partners to reduce public health impacts in one of California’s most underserved regions.
“If it weren’t for the great teams created many years ago—including our friends at DWR, the State Water Board, California Natural Resources Agency and our state representatives—the city of Calexico and the Salton Sea wouldn’t have a cleaner river, vibrant wetlands, healthier fauna and an overall healthier population within our communities,” said Calexico Mayor Diana Nuricumbo.
Under the direction of Gov. Gavin Newsom, California agencies are advancing additional projects at the Salton Sea to improve air quality and provide habitat for migratory birds along the Pacific Flyway. As inflows into the lake decline, increasing salinity and exposed lakebed continue to raise concerns about dust pollution and environmental degradation.
The Salton Sea Management Program includes a 10-year plan to construct 30,000 acres of habitat and dust suppression projects around the lake.
For more information about the Salton Sea Management Program, visit https://saltonsea.ca.gov/.
