Salton Sea

The Salton Sea is a large, shallow saline lake in California’s Imperial and Coachella valleys. It formed in 1905 when Colorado River water breached irrigation works and flooded the Salton Sink.

Colorado River: A major river that flows from the Rocky Mountains through the southwestern United States to the Gulf of California region. A breach in Colorado River irrigation works sent water into the Salton Sink.
Salinity: The concentration of dissolved salts in water. Evaporation removes water from the Salton Sea while leaving salts behind.
Salton Sea Management Program: A California state program coordinating habitat restoration and dust-suppression projects at the Salton Sea. It responds to shoreline retreat and environmental impacts as the lake contracts.
Pacific Flyway: A major migratory route used by birds moving along the western edge of North America. The lake provides feeding and resting habitat along this migration route.
Quantification Settlement Agreement: A 2003 agreement allocating Colorado River water among California users and facilitating transfers between them. Its water transfers reduced agricultural inflows that had sustained the Salton Sea.
Salton Sink: A low-lying desert basin in southeastern California that includes the Salton Sea. This below-sea-level basin filled during the 1905 Colorado River flood.
Evaporation: The process by which liquid water becomes water vapor. In the desert climate, evaporation is the lake’s main water loss.
Exposed playa: A flat, dry lakebed exposed when a lake’s shoreline retreats. The Salton Sea’s falling level exposes playa that can become a source of airborne dust.
Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge: A United States wildlife refuge established to protect habitat and wildlife near the Salton Sea. Its managed wetlands and shoreline protect birds using the lake basin.
Colorado River water conservation: Measures to reduce water use from the Colorado River amid persistent shortages. Conservation and transfer decisions influence future inflows to the lake.

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Saline waterBroader topic: Its salinity reflects evaporation and limited natural outflow.