Discovering Community and Building Leaders at the Salton Sea

2025 Program Highlights 

Geology and Water | Water sampling outcomes and regional geology, with a concentrate on potable water challenges.

After an in-class presentation about water rights and the historical past of water within the area, cohort contributors joined Quinn Montgomery of Loma Linda College and Dr. Ryan Sinclair of Loma Linda College and Alianza Coachella Valley on the Salton Sea, the place they performed hands-on water testing evaluating water high quality alongside the shoreline and within the wetlands. Every participant used native water samples to check for nitrite, nitrate, phosphate, sulfate, and E. Coli. After processing, outcomes confirmed excessive ranges of fertilizer run-off and nutrient concentrations alongside the shoreline. 

Air High quality | Novel Air High quality Analysis

Dr. Will Porter of UCR’s Heart for Environmental Analysis and Expertise introduced novel air high quality analysis, and led the cohort by way of a DIY Air Filter workshop. 

Local weather Advocacy and Psychological Well being | Advocacy, artwork, storytelling, and instruments for navigating local weather nervousness:

Cohort contributors spent a morning with Tammah Watts grounding themselves in nature, and studying the bodily and psychological well being advantages of birding. 

Capstone Spotlights

Vanessa — Agriculture in the Valley (Zine)

Impressed by water-testing outcomes displaying polluted flows into the Sea, Vanessa created an academic zine to lift consciousness and share actions to scale back air pollution. Group members reported studying loads, and lots of despatched advocacy emails in response.

“That’s once I realized that the little water flowing into the Sea is extremely polluted… Seeing the check outcomes myself, I knew I needed to do one thing about it.”

Em — Planting Desert Natives (Workshop + Planting Demo)

Em hosted a workshop on Coachella Valley native crops, together with authentic Cahuilla names, and taught how one can begin a local backyard. The session closed with a hands-on planting demo the place contributors sowed an assortment of seeds.

Joseph — Community Health Survey

Rising up close to the Salton Sea, Joseph surveyed residents about air-quality issues and well being. The challenge elevated group voices and underscored shared issues about environmental well being.