Salton Sea Species Conservation Habitat Project

Project Overview

The Salton Sea Species Conservation Habitat Project is an initiative managed by the State of California through the Department of Water Resources (DWR) that will restore an approximate 3,770 acres of exposed seabed on the southern end of the Salton Sea. The purpose of the project is to develop habitat suitable to support fish populations and subsequently the migratory bird population that has historically used the Salton Sea as a stopping point during their seasonal migration.

Project Role

In 2019, Knight Piésold has partnered with Kiewit to respond to the DWR’s request for proposal. Knight Piésold prepared a concept level design such that Kiewit could develop a design-build cost estimate. The Kiewit/Knight Piésold team was awarded the detailed design contract in the fall of 2020.

Key design elements of the project include:

• Geotechnical and seismic analysis
• Environmental restoration design
• Hydrology and flood flow analysis
• Civil and structural design of project facilities, including habitat ponds, sediment ponds, river intake and diversion, saline pump station, flood buffer zone, visitor center, and O&M facility
• Process mechanical design of pump and piped systems
• Electrical and I&C design
• Permitting support
• Project optimization
• Value engineering, detailed design, and construction supervision for the EPC Contract

Knight Piésold’s concept design presented during proposal phase included a value engineered design that utilizes gravity flow to mix brackish and saline waters thereby eliminating the need for an additional brackish water pump station, increases the flood buffer zone serving as better protection of adjacent agricultural lands, provides an additional 640 acres of increased habitat area, and employs an innovative in-river sedimentation basin thereby reducing the size and frequency of maintenance of the sedimentation ponds.