By Marcela Carrillo
April 30, 2023
SALTON SEA, Calif. – Individuals residing near the Salton Sea were blessed when a naturally-made lake rose alongside their communities. Humans quickly visited the Salton Sea daily, as the population was given organic water and fish resources. Had they known years from now that the Salton Sea would become toxic, abandoned and on the verge of dying, protection would’ve been the lake’s priority. Now, it sits alone with minimal visitations, waiting to be saved.
Once the empty basin was filled with water, it became a natural hotspot for residents and celebrities alike. Many vacationers participated in fishing, kayaking, boating and much more during the beginning. Now, the lake is abandoned after large amounts of salt overflooded the once-popular lake. Fish began to die, washing ashore with a protruding smell lingering in nearby towns. However, a new problem has arisen: the Salton Sea is shrinking yearly as the desert summer heat skyrockets to around 120° Fahrenheit come June and July; amassing into higher evaporation levels.
Before the Salton Sea gained its name today, it used to be named the Salton Sink, a lifeless dome filled with sand, stretching from two counties –– Riverside and Imperial County and even resting on the San Andrea’s Fault. It wasn’t until 1905 through 1907 that residents soon gained a two-year formed lake due to an irrigation canal flood by the Colorado River, and becoming one of the largest lakes in California.
Remembering the History VS NOW:
Before the Salton Sea became the danger it is today, it used to be filled with joyful memories. A nearby city, Bombay Beach, a small census-designated town with approximately 200 population, is located on the Salton Sea and was once a hot spot for celebrities. Frank Sinatra, a well-known artist and individual who lived in Palm Springs, was a frequent visitor at Bombay Beach and the Salton Sea. According to The Daily Mail, The Beach Boys, Jerry Lewis and Rock Hudson were also frequenting there, with The Beach Boys becoming members of the North Shore Yacht Club and then-President Dwight Eisenhower engaging in golf at the time.
Fishing was one of the most popular activities. Once the flood of the Colorado River joined the empty sink, many different aquatics joined. Fishes like the rainbow trout, humpback sucker and desert pupfish thrived in their new habitat for a while. The most-known fish that still lives in the Salton Sea today is tilapia, as they’ve adapted to living with the high salinity, according to The New York Times.
Leticia Castellanos, 60, an Eastern Coachella Valley (ECV) resident, reminisced her memories with her father at the once-filled populated lake.
“I remember being able to fish and the water being so close to my feet that I could dip my toes in,” said Castellanos. “Now, returning here, the water is so far out of reach, and the fish is so toxic that we can no longer fish. We can no longer have fun.”
Castellanos emphasized how quickly the Salton Sea misfortune took place. “Unless this water receives the help it deserves, the Salton Sea will mainly stay as history,” stressed Castellanos.
The Problem:
While the lake gained notable recognition and admiration, it didn’t take long for a health advisory note to display for visitors and residents. In the mid-1980s, the salinity began to exceed its appropriate amount and surpassed 40 parts per thousand (ppt) of salinity. Therefore, it was advised for individuals to not enter the water due to the possibility of drinking the water. According to the Salton Sea, many animals began to die as they migrated and sought food. Instead, they consumed the salt from the lake. Animals like the endangered brown pelicans died in an amassing amount of more than 1,000 deaths.
COMMUNITIES AFFECTED & HEALTH RISKS:
Communities serving alongside the Salton Sea are demographically a Latino population. According to the United States Census Bureau, Riverside County is approximately 52% Latino, and Imperial County is approximately 86% Latino. Most Latino residents are field workers, so many need more resources to receive proper health care. Thus they fall at risk of having a potential respiratory illness.
With species dying, the lake soon followed pursuit. Every year, the lake evaporates up to 1,300,000 acre-feet of water. With the toxic waste thrown by human individuals polluting the lake, the lake has decided to strike back. Every year when the shoreline shrinks, this dumped poisonous waste left on the sand creates dust that coats nearby towns, slowly and steadily affecting residents’ lungs.
14-year-old Kayla Muñoz currently resides in Mecca, a small town in the Eastern Coachella Valley, and has fallen under childhood asthma due to the lake’s proximity.
“I grew up developing asthma. It wasn’t something I was born with,” said Muñoz. “It’s scary living here and developing a short wheezing cough and only being provided an inhaler, and it’s like they’re telling us to ‘deal with it.'”
Asthma and other respiratory problems have become the norm for these residents, with many afraid to receive proper health care due to residency status or financial issues. They soon fall under the statistics of having or knowing someone with respiratory problems.
Besides Muñoz, she noted her close family, who resides with her or near the community, also battles asthma and other respiratory issues.
“My grandma and cousin have asthma, and it’s difficult for my grandma to even go outside during the summer because of the change of humidity affecting the Salton Sea,” stated Muñoz. “They need to focus on the lake and figure out a plan as soon as possible.”
THE Solution:
Despite years of trying to get governmental notice in the past, the state of California and the United States government has now been swift in taking charge to help save the Salton Sea.
According to Wbur, the federal government agreed to spend $250 million to help the Salton Sea by presenting a 10-year plan, utilizing money from the Inflation Reduction Act. However, more money might be needed to continue protecting the lake.
