The Salton Sea Must Die

The Salton Sea was "created" by the error of man (a levee on the Colorado River gave way around 100 years ago, filling the ancient depression), and it continues to exist through the errors of man:

First, the only source of water to the "sea" is runoff from over-irrigation in the Imperial Valley. If and when this toxic runoff decreases, the "sea" will dry up.

Second, the effort to "save" it is led by real estate developers eager to maintain the value of their property. They claim that the "sea" has environmental value as a stop for migrating birds. They choose to ignore the fact that the Colorado Delta is a far better places for the bird to stop -- perhaps because the Delta is in Mexico, a place inhabited by brown people who do not need Federal assistance ($8.9 Billion?) as much as the local lobbyists do.

“My big concern is the sea will die before we can save it,” said Rick Daniels, executive director of the Salton Sea Authority, a public agency involved in preservation.

Read more (including a good debate) here

Bottom Line: People are using Baptist and Bootlegger arguments to help themselves. What was wrong 100 years ago (a flooded depression) is even more wrong. The Sea must die. Restore the Colorado Delta instead. Nature will thank us.