Why save the Salton Sea? Your health and our ecosystem may depend on it
By Alison Elsner For DMHN
M
ost of us don’t make it a habit of visiting there. Some of us don’t even know what it really looks like up close. But somehow the Salton Sea is on our mind frequently, either because we hear about it in the media or our noses alert us to its presence with the strong, sulfer-heavy aroma that blows westward, a result of the dead, rotting fish that simply can’t survive in such high salinity levels. The manmade “Sea”, which is actually the largest lake in California, occupies the Salton Basin, a remnant of prehistoric Lake Cahuilla. It was
formed between 1905 and 1907 when the Colorado River burst through poorly built irrigation controls south of Yuma, Arizona, before the overflow was controlled after more than a year. It lies 235 feet below sea level, measures approximately 35 miles long by 15 feet wide and has a depth of around 30 – 50 feet. The sea is fed by the New, Whitewater and Alamo Rivers, as well as agricultural runoff and drainage systems. What was originally known as the Salton Sink is now referred to in jest as the “Salton Stink,” which is especially sad considering that the area was a thriving resort destination in the 1950’s and 60’s. Guests swam, waterskied and golfed during the day, then
headed to the yacht club to socialize at night. By the late 1970s, the ecosystem was deteriorating. With no drainage, little rainfall and farm runoff, the sea became polluted with pesticides and salt compounds. Depleted oxygen in the sea killed fish and left the decomposition on the shore. So what’s the big deal? Why save the Salton Sea? There are two compelling reasons: 1. As the sea loses surface area, the dry lakebed becomes more and more exposed. This effect will ramp up big time starting in January, 2018 thanks to an agreement penned in 2003 that will redirect Colorado River water to
San Diego County. By 2038, the Sea will have lost approximately 35 percent of its surface area and 60 percent of its volume. Pollutants lie at the bottom of the sea, creating sediment from Imperial irrigation runoff and Mexicali’s degraded New River. Without the water keeping this sediment down, it threatens to blow up into storms of toxic dust, presenting a danger to the health of people in surrounding regions by triggering severe asthma and respiratory diseases. Some officials have warned that with the increased shrinkage, dust storms would increase and a rotten-egg smell could reach to the coastal cities. Continues on page 6 >>
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