CA and AZ both deal with dangerous and unhealthful dust storms (Phoenix: university, closing)

[DougStark]

I recently read an article about CA's Salton Sea in the Imperial Valley. The article said the lake levels continue to drop, the lake is getting saltier every year, and it's exposing more and more of the dry barren land to become wind-whipped, cause massive, unhealthy dust storms for Imperial Valley residents. Apparently, the dust there also has toxic components in it as well. CA's cost to "fix" the Salton Sea problem is immense! and there's no one easy solution.

I bring this CA situation up in the Phx forum because this reminds me of our own wind-blown dust problem we face every monsoon season. In our case the problem isn't from a dying, huge lake- it's from hundreds of square miles of abandoned farmland, mainly in Pinal County, with no vegetation cover to hold the soil to prevent massive dust storms whipped up during the monsoons.

I'd welcome the two states to study this dust problem together and jointly investigate, develop and test dust control methods for large-scale application. Unfortunately for us, our dust storms affect many more people (a major metropolitan area, Phoenix), whereas theirs don't (the Imperial Valley isn't nearly as populated.) I think one advantage of AZ agencies working with CA agencies on this issue is that CA's university research capacity is much larger than our own relatively small university system (perhaps they are already collaborating together, I don't know...but hope so.)

[Burning Madolf]

OOOHHH, a joint investigation with the great state of CA... wait a sec while I take hold of my wallet with both hands....

[Finger Laker]

The situation with the Salton Sea had zero to do with any dust storms that we get in Phoenix.

The Sea is a 340+ sq mile salty, fertilizer and rotting animal mess. The health issues that stem from the dust there are unique to the situation with the Sea

[jamies]

The solution is very simple.

Glue.

Somebody figure out a way to spray glue over the areas without it affecting plants and people and stuff. The dust can't blow up into the air. Problem solved.

Seriously. Glue being a concept.

[jimj]

Originally Posted by jamies

The solution is very simple.

Glue.

Somebody figure out a way to spray glue over the areas without it affecting plants and people and stuff. The dust can't blow up into the air. Problem solved.

Seriously. Glue being a concept.

It already exists, news stories were done on it last year if I remember correctly. Landowners in Pinal County were having their properties sprayed to avoid air quality fines and/or to stop the freeway closing dust storms...

[DougStark]

Originally Posted by jimj

It already exists, news stories were done on it last year if I remember correctly. Landowners in Pinal County were having their properties sprayed to avoid air quality fines and/or to stop the freeway closing dust storms...

OK. I'll wait and see if we have no dust storms this monsoon season (laugh.)

[DougStark]

Originally Posted by Finger Laker

The situation with the Salton Sea had zero to do with any dust storms that we get in Phoenix.

The Sea is a 340+ sq mile salty, fertilizer and rotting animal mess. The health issues that stem from the dust there are unique to the situation with the Sea

I never said that the Salton Sea's dust is affecting our Phoenix air quality. But why does one massive dust-prone area like the drying Salton Sea have no similarities to do with Arizona's problem of disturbed soil causing massive dust storms? The cause in both cases is massive man-made environmental degradation of huge sq. miles of land that results in chronic air quality problems for both areas.

[Tokinouta]

We should all turn on our sprinklers at the same time. We can have alarms when a dust storm is approaching alerting us. lol
But seriously, it's a huge under taking to stop a monsoon dust storm. Have you seen them? We'd need Godzilla with a hose. Just stay inside during it.

[Finger Laker]

Originally Posted by DougStark

I never said that the Salton Sea's dust is affecting our Phoenix air quality. But why does one massive dust-prone area like the drying Salton Sea have no similarities to do with Arizona's problem of disturbed soil causing massive dust storms? The cause in both cases is massive man-made environmental degradation of huge sq. miles of land that results in chronic air quality problems for both areas.

It's not that I thought you were saying that the Salton Sea would influence Phoenix.

It's that you were trying to draw a comparison between their situation and ours.

The problem in CA isn't blowing dust. It's the associated salt, chemicals, smell, rot, etc that is coming from a body of water that would cover the land area of around 60% of Phoenix proper.

[KurtAZ]

Besides, the Salton Sea only exists(ed) because of the run-off from farm land...the water was always mixed with pesticides, fertilizer, etc. As it all concentrated in the Salton Sea, the hazard levels kept rising until they had to close it down. At one time, it was a booming vacation spot (1950s-60s if I remember correctly). With no where for the water to go, higher and higher levels of toxins built up as the water evaporated away. This has no comparison to our dust storms.

While some of the dust is kicked up from farmlands, a majority of it is from the open reservation lands and is a natural occurrence. They weren't as bad in the 90s...or maybe because I was living in Scottsdale we didn't notice them as much. Either way...high winds mixed with open desert/farmlands = Big Ol Dust Storm.

If you are referring to the story from last year regarding a particular farmers' land causing havoc on the I10...I thought they got that sorted out.