The Salton Sea State Recreation Area
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click photo to enlarge
click photo to enlarge
The Salton Sea State Recreation Area
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The Salton Sea was created when spring flooding in 1905 breached the flood gates on the Colorado River leading into the Imperial Valley of California. It is one of the worlds largest inland seas and lies at 227 feet below sea level making it one of the lowest places on earth. The pictures on this page were all taken at the Salton Sea State Recreation Area. We have stopped here a number of times when traveling somewhere to have lunch watching all the birds that use the sea as a flyway. |
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The sea is approximately 15 miles by 35 miles. In the 1950s and 60s it became a resort destination as communities grew with vacation homes and motels. As the sea grew more saline and contaminated from runoff from the Imperial Valley farms there were big fish die-offs. The sea would have dried up naturally, but with flood irrigation being commonly used in the valley, plenty of water run off the farms into the sea and keeps it full. |
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