This month, a key milestone was reached as water began flowing into the East Pond of the Species Conservation Habitat (SCH) Project—the largest restoration initiative at the Salton Sea. A mixture of water from the New River and the Salton Sea is now filling the first pond, with the East Pond 1 expansion Pond expected to follow by the end of May. Together, the two ponds will support roughly 2,000 acres of habitat-roughly three square miles, the California Natural Resources Agency said. Launched in 2021, the SHC Project has expanded to nearly 5,000 acres at the Sea’s southern end, with future plans to grow the footprint to more than 9,000 acres. The restoration efforts are designed to rebuild critical wetland habitats and reduce harmful dust exposure for surrounding communities.