06/02/2026
Hello everyone! Today, pulled from our Pioneer Archives is this image of the Salton Sea named “Moonlight, Salton Sea, CA” and a postcard from Salton Sea State Park
While the current Salton Sea came from an effort to increase Imperial Valley’s agricultural potential in 1905, for thousands of years, the Salton Basin would be filled and drained due to the Colorado River and the whims of Mother Nature herself.
Fast forwarding to the 1950s, the Salton Sea became a very famous resort. It was visited by famous musicians and celebrities like Frank Sinatra and The Beach Boys. On top of that, there were yacht clubs, watersports, golf courses, vacation homes, and fishing. Ironically, one quirk of the Salton Sea, the salinity level, made it best for sport fishing and other water activities, but only for a short period of time.
Unfortunately, excess water from irrigation with no way of running off, natural salt deposits in the Basin, and the heat of our area, the Salton Sea would become toxic. Slowly, it evaporated, leading to dangerous levels of salinity and a much stronger concentration of selenium and other heavy metals in the water. This would eventually lead to the abandonment of the resort idea and the environmental danger it brings now.
For decades, there have been efforts to save the Salton Sea or slow down its evaporation. As of 2026, the Salton Sea Authority, the California Natural Resources Agency, the California Department of Water Resources, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife have presented and used several methods to suppress the toxic fumes, help the local wildlife, and revitalize the area.
If you’d like to learn more, I will provide some links if you’d like a more in-depth look!
Thank you to everyone and our supporters. Have a good rest of your day!
https://saltonsea.com/about/our-mission/
https://saltonsea.ca.gov/
https://calmatters.org/environment/2025/03/salton-sea-imperiled-lake/
