Salton Sea
saline lake in Imperial and Riverside counties in California, United States
Key facts
- Location
- Colorado Desert , Imperial and Riverside Counties, California, U.S.
- Type
- Endorheic rift lake
- Primary inflows
- Alamo River , New River , Whitewater River
- Primary outflows
- None
- Catchment area
- 8,360 sq mi (21,700 km )
- Basin countries
- Mexico and United States
- Surface area
- 318.0 sq mi (823.6 km )
- Max depth
- 43 ft (13 m)
- Water volume
- 6,000,000 acre⋅ft (7.4 km )
- Surface elevation
- −236 ft (−71.9 m) ( below sea level )
- Settlements
- Bombay Beach , Desert Beach , Desert Shores , Salton City , Salton Sea Beach , North Shore
- References
Article
Map of the Salton Sea drainage area
The Salton Sea is a shallow, landlocked, highly saline endorheic lake in Riverside and Imperial counties in Southern California. It lies on the San Andreas Fault within the Salton Trough, which stretches to the Gulf of California in Mexico. The lake is about 15 by 35 miles (24 by 56 km) at its widest and longest. A 2023 report put the surface area at 318 square miles (823.6 km). The Salton Sea became a resort destination in the 20th century, but saw die-offs of fish and birds in the 1980s due to contamination from farm runoff, and clouds of toxic dust in the current century as evaporation exposed parts of the lake bed.
Gallery (12)
Connections
Categories
Coachella ValleyDisasters in CaliforniaEndorheic lakes of CaliforniaEngineering failuresEnvironmental disasters in the United StatesEnvironment of CaliforniaEutrophicationGeography of the Colorado DesertImperial ValleyImportant Bird Areas of CaliforniaLakes of CaliforniaLakes of Imperial County, California