America's Dead Sea

Report on the accelerated environmental effects and devastation caused by man on the Salton Sea in California’s southern desert. Salton Sea, USA. 28/12/2009.

Humans in general and Americans specifically have a poor report card when it comes to protecting the environment. An example of the devastation of human intervention is the Salton Sea in California’s southern desert.

In 1905, the Colorado River overran a set of headgates for the Imperial Valley Canal. The resulting flood poured down the canal and breached an Imperial Valley dike, eroded two watercourses, the New River in the west, and the Alamo River in the east and flooded the salt basin just south of Palm Springs. By the time the dam had been repaired, the Salton Sea had been formed.

In the 1920’s, entrepreneurs began cultivating the Salton Sea as a resort and tourist attraction. In the 30’s and 50’s it was stocked with fish such as mullet, corvina, sargo, and tilapia and became a resource for migrating birds as a major flyway.

Because the Sea lacks an outflow, it is an enclosed system of accelerated change and, by the 1960’s it was apparent that the Sea was increasing in salinity. It is believed that once the salinity surpasses 4.4% w/v, only the tilapia will survive. Fertilizer runoff, combined with the increasing salinity and the highly polluted water from the northward-flowing New River have resulted in large algal blooms and elevated bacteria levels.

The fish die off has been devastating and is due not only to the increased levels of salinity, but fertilizer, selenium, bacteria and algae growth all contributing to lowered levels of oxygen. What was once a thriving set of tourist based communities such as Salton City, Bombay Beach, and Desert Shores, has become all but ghost towns.

Because of the uncontrolled rise and fall of the Salton Sea, settlements such as this one at Bombay Beach have become ghostly images of their past glories. The accelerated decline of the Sea is a foreshadow of what humanity can do to the environment when the consequences are not considered.

In the late 1990's California Congressman Sonny Bono began a reclamation project. His seat was vacated by his untimely death and his wife, who assumed his congressional seat, has taken over the project.

Report on the accelerated environmental effects and devastation caused by man on the Salton Sea in California’s southern desert. Salton Sea, USA. 28/12/2009.

Humans in general and Americans specifically have a poor report card when it comes to protecting the environment. An example of the devastation of human intervention is the Salton Sea in California’s southern desert.

In 1905, the Colorado River overran a set of headgates for the Imperial Valley Canal. The resulting flood poured down the canal and breached an Imperial Valley dike, eroded two watercourses, the New River in the west, and the Alamo River in the east and flooded the salt basin just south of Palm Springs. By the time the dam had been repaired, the Salton Sea had been formed.

In the 1920’s, entrepreneurs began cultivating the Salton Sea as a resort and tourist attraction. In the 30’s and 50’s it was stocked with fish such as mullet, corvina, sargo, and tilapia and became a resource for migrating birds as a major flyway.

Because the Sea lacks an outflow, it is an enclosed system of accelerated change and, by the 1960’s it was apparent that the Sea was increasing in salinity. It is believed that once the salinity surpasses 4.4% w/v, only the tilapia will survive. Fertilizer runoff, combined with the increasing salinity and the highly polluted water from the northward-flowing New River have resulted in large algal blooms and elevated bacteria levels.

The fish die off has been devastating and is due not only to the increased levels of salinity, but fertilizer, selenium, bacteria and algae growth all contributing to lowered levels of oxygen. What was once a thriving set of tourist based communities such as Salton City, Bombay Beach, and Desert Shores, has become all but ghost towns.

Because of the uncontrolled rise and fall of the Salton Sea, settlements such as this one at Bombay Beach have become ghostly images of their past glories. The accelerated decline of the Sea is a foreshadow of what humanity can do to the environment when the consequences are not considered.

In the late 1990's California Congressman Sonny Bono began a reclamation project. His seat was vacated by his untimely death and his wife, who assumed his congressional seat, has taken over the project.

Report on the accelerated environmental effects and devastation caused by man on the Salton Sea in California’s southern desert. Salton Sea, USA. 28/12/2009.

Humans in general and Americans specifically have a poor report card when it comes to protecting the environment. An example of the devastation of human intervention is the Salton Sea in California’s southern desert.

In 1905, the Colorado River overran a set of headgates for the Imperial Valley Canal. The resulting flood poured down the canal and breached an Imperial Valley dike, eroded two watercourses, the New River in the west, and the Alamo River in the east and flooded the salt basin just south of Palm Springs. By the time the dam had been repaired, the Salton Sea had been formed.

In the 1920’s, entrepreneurs began cultivating the Salton Sea as a resort and tourist attraction. In the 30’s and 50’s it was stocked with fish such as mullet, corvina, sargo, and tilapia and became a resource for migrating birds as a major flyway.

Because the Sea lacks an outflow, it is an enclosed system of accelerated change and, by the 1960’s it was apparent that the Sea was increasing in salinity. It is believed that once the salinity surpasses 4.4% w/v, only the tilapia will survive. Fertilizer runoff, combined with the increasing salinity and the highly polluted water from the northward-flowing New River have resulted in large algal blooms and elevated bacteria levels.

The fish die off has been devastating and is due not only to the increased levels of salinity, but fertilizer, selenium, bacteria and algae growth all contributing to lowered levels of oxygen. What was once a thriving set of tourist based communities such as Salton City, Bombay Beach, and Desert Shores, has become all but ghost towns.

Because of the uncontrolled rise and fall of the Salton Sea, settlements such as this one at Bombay Beach have become ghostly images of their past glories. The accelerated decline of the Sea is a foreshadow of what humanity can do to the environment when the consequences are not considered.

In the late 1990's California Congressman Sonny Bono began a reclamation project. His seat was vacated by his untimely death and his wife, who assumed his congressional seat, has taken over the project.