This article is published through the Great Salt Lake Collaborative, a solutions journalism initiative that partners news, education and media organizations to help inform people about the plight of the Great Salt Lake — and what can be done to make a difference before it is too late. Read all of our stories at greatsaltlakenews.org .
Most people don’t know that California’s largest lake — the Salton Sea — was a mishap.
Birthed in 1905 when the Colorado River experienced massive floods, the accidental lake soon became a community commodity. It once was a recreation destination, filled with fish and migratory birds, that supported the surrounding agricultural communities throughout the Imperial and Coachella valleys.
“Even in the last 10 years, the changes that have taken place have been pretty dramatic,” said Patrick O’Dowd, the executive director of the Salton Sea Authority . “The types of birds that frequent the sea have changed. The water level has changed. The water quality has changed.”