To the editor: Anybody who says the Salton Sea is only a man-made lake that exists solely due to an accident greater than 100 years in the past reveals a evident ignorance of the pure historical past of the realm.
The basin containing the Salton Sea has been stuffed by a vastly bigger lake many occasions over a number of millenniums. The entire Colorado River would change course and circulate into the basin for years at a time. This lake was 3 times as lengthy, twice as large, and 7 occasions as deep as the present Salton Sea. The previous shoreline continues to be seen in a couple of locations.
Earlier than the present dams have been constructed, the Colorado River carried an enormous sediment load, and when it stuffed its channel, it could soar left or proper into a brand new one. If it jumped proper, it flowed into the Salton Trough; if it jumped left, it flowed to the Gulf of California.
Quite than a synthetic lake, we’ve actually created a synthetic desert. Given its personal freedom, the river would’ve flooded all the Imperial Valley, because it has many occasions earlier than.
Ted Caragozian, Ranchita, Calif.
