We've all heard of Death Valley and the fact that it's lowest point is 282 feet below sea level. But did you know that there is a large water body in Southern California that lies about 240 feet below sea level? The Salton Sea is its name. It is between the Imperial Valley to the south and the Coachella Valley to the north. Its southern shore is some 40 miles north of the U. S.-Mexican border.

What you may not know is that it hasn't always been there. In 1900, the area was a desert. About the same time, engineers were building canals to divert water from the Colorado River to support irrigation of crops in the Imperial Valley and Northern Mexico. These canals filled rapidly with silt from the River.

In spring 2006, engineers were attempting to build a new diversion from the River when high flows overwhelmed their digging and for more than two years ALL the discharge of the Colorado River flowed west to the desert and the Salton Sea was formed. It was a shallow sea, about 40 miles long and 6 miles wide.

People are attracted to water. Very shortly after the sea was formed, investors bought up land adjacent to the sea. Houses and businesses including marinas and resorts were built particularly along its west side. Also, after the failed Colorado River diversion was finally repaired, the All American Canal was completed along the border to bring more irrigation water to the Imperial Valley.

Birds are attracted to water. Very shortly, the Salton Sea became an important stopover for migratory waterfowl and other birds on the Pacific Flyway. The Sea was stocked with fish and they thrived.

The area surrounding the Salton Sea is desert. It is hot and dry. The Sea has no outflow and the meager rainfall plus inflow of irrigation drainage from the irrigated valleys does not equal the evaporation from the surface of the Sea. What this means is that the Sea began to shrink in size and to become more saline.

Within 50 years, many of the resorts, some of which were very high class for their time were no longer located on the water's edge but instead were as far as a half mile away, a situation not conducive to drawing tourists. By the late 20th century, most of the resorts were out of business and were rotting hulks. Add to this the fact that the Sea has become 20 percent more saline than ocean water.

So we have a sea that was essentially man-made and that is shrinking and getting saltier, that is a favorite stopping place for birds and that contains an abundant fishery.

Now, add to this equation its primary source of water, agriculture return flow. What does return flow contain? Among other things it contains fertilizer and pesticides that were washed from the irrigated land and carried to the sea. And what do fertilizer and pesticide have the potential to cause? I'll name two things, algae growth and fish kills. In recent years, a number of serious fish kills have occurred whether from algae, pesticides, or fertilizer.

The Salton Sea is still important as a fishery and as a migratory bird stopover, but for how long? There are efforts underway to "save" the Sea. Others feel it is beyond saving. Next month, the second part of Live or Let Die will explore these options. Stay tuned!