Governing Bodies

The QSA JPA’s governing body is the Commission, which has a designated representative and alternate from each of the four QSA JPA agencies. The Commission holds quarterly meetings that include financial updates, implementation updates, and annual budget review and adoption.

Roles & Responsibilities:

The state chairs all QSA JPA meetings.

Charlton Bonham, Director California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Commissioner

Tonya Marshall, California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Salton Sea Program Manager
Alternate Commissioner

Roles & Responsibilities:

Develops the budget in coordination with the Habitat Conservation Plan Implementation Team (IT), which consists of representatives from CDFW, IID, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and implements the mitigation program.

Tina Shields, Water Department Manager
Commissioner

Jamie Asbury, General Manager
Alternate Commissioner

Roles & Responsibilities:

Serves as the administrative and financial arm of the QSA JPA, which includes scheduling and preparing materials for quarterly meetings, managing funds and expenses, and compiling the QSA JPA annual budget for the Commission’s consideration.

Dan Denham, General Manager
Commissioner

Alexi Schnell, Colorado River Program Manager
QSA JPA Chief Administrative Officer,
Alternate Commissioner

Roles & Responsibilities:

Serves as lead counsel for the QSA JPA.

Jim Barrett, General Manager
Commissioner

Robert Cheng, Assistant General Manager
Alternate Commissioner

Jeff Ferre, QSA JPA legal counsel
Representing Firm: Best Best & Krieger

Funding Responsibilities

Under QSA-related legislation (specifically SB 654), the three water agencies, IID, SDCWA, and CVWD, have a responsibility to fund environmental mitigation related to the QSA up to $133 million in 2003 dollars. Additionally, the three water agencies have paid $30 million in 2003 dollars as seed money for the state’s restoration program. The $30 million was provided to CDFW as part of the Salton Sea Restoration Fund. That funding, together with the $133 million, cap the three water agencies’ financial obligations and liabilities for environmental mitigation and restoration as part of the QSA. 

The state has a responsibility under the QSA-related legislation to fund mitigation costs that exceed $133 million and a responsibility to address the larger issue of restoration at the Salton Sea. 

Mitigation Projects

Clubhouse Vegetation Project

Clubhouse Vegetation Project site plan
Haybales have been placed on the project site and seeded
Vegetation is beginning to sprout
Vegetation near haybales

Salton Sea Vegetation and Soil Monitoring

IID environmental staff measures vegetation around the Salton Sea
IID environmental staff taking soil samples around the playa
Samples are used to futher investigate soil quality

Managed Marsh Complex

IID conducts annual maintenance at the managed marsh
Tree trimming is a recurring maintenance activity
Maintenance also includes removing invasive species
Heavy equipment is used to maintain roads
IID’s heavy equipment operators transplant cattails to one of the ponds at the managed marsh
Cattails placed into a managed marsh pond
Cattails help establish vegetation within the pond to create habitat
Related Documents
California Department of Fish & Wildlife
San Diego County Water Authority
CVWD Water District