SALTON SEA STINK ALERT ISSUED

A Salton Sea stink alert has been issued. The Salton Sea belched sulfur-smelling gas Thursday, triggering an odor alert by the South Coast Air Quality Management District. Hourly average concentrations of hydrogen sulfide reached levels of 129 parts per billion in the community of Mecca in the morning. That is more than four times the state standard of 30 parts per billion for outdoor levels of the gas averaged over one hour, which can cause headaches and nausea but not long-term health effects, air district spokesman Sam Atwood said. The rotten egg smell was not expected to remain elevated for every long but if south and southeasterly winds kick up, our Morongo Basin could experience odors.