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> Another option would be a canal up to the Salton Sea. Obviously that's a much more major effort but it has nearly endless economic and ecological benefits. T

> Another option would be a canal up to the Salton Sea. Obviously that's a much more major effort but it has nearly endless economic and ecological benefits. That would be an obscene undertaking... going a hundred miles THROUGH several mountain ranges. There would be no ecological benefit. Salton sea will still not have an outlet, so after a one-time dilution, the seas will continue to increase in salinity, endlessly. It needs a massive supply of FRESH water to try to dilute the salt down to acceptable levels. Sea water with salt will just worsen the problem, long-term. The economic benefits are marginal. You'll be limited to the number of vessels the canal can handle, the size of the port you can build in the desert, and you very quickly overwhelm the roads in the area. Any malfunction or damage to the canal would be devastating... the unstoppable flooding in the low desert and along the canal zone would be unprecedented.

jelliclesfarm 5y ago
Salton Sea was a big mistake in the past. It has opportunities. I have heard several proposals for Salton Sea canals, but this is interesting. I would like to hear more if the original poster can elaborate.
01100011 5y ago
No, I'm saying go up from the Sea of Cortez. No mountain ranges that way. That region is an active rift zone and with that combined with sea level rise will likely cause sporadic flooding anyway. El Centro is a dozen or two feet below sea level already. The alternative is, what, a toxic dust bowl with little economic value besides a lithium farm and a geothermal plant?
- axiolite 5y ago
  > go up from the Sea of Cortez. Okay, so now it's an international construction project, with all the political barriers that brings. And running close to the Colorado river. > The alternative is, what, a toxic dust bowl It's the Salton sea that caused the area to become "toxic". Bringing in more sea water with no solution to ever clean it up will provide just a short-term reprieve to the area, but exacerbate the problem long-term. Your plan is to create a much larger toxic dust bowl.

jelliclesfarm 5y ago

Salton Sea was a big mistake in the past. It has opportunities. I have heard several proposals for Salton Sea canals, but this is interesting. I would like to hear more if the original poster can elaborate.

01100011 5y ago

No, I'm saying go up from the Sea of Cortez. No mountain ranges that way. That region is an active rift zone and with that combined with sea level rise will likely cause sporadic flooding anyway. El Centro is a dozen or two feet below sea level already. The alternative is, what, a toxic dust bowl with little economic value besides a lithium farm and a geothermal plant?

axiolite 5y ago
> go up from the Sea of Cortez. Okay, so now it's an international construction project, with all the political barriers that brings. And running close to the Colorado river. > The alternative is, what, a toxic dust bowl It's the Salton sea that caused the area to become "toxic". Bringing in more sea water with no solution to ever clean it up will provide just a short-term reprieve to the area, but exacerbate the problem long-term. Your plan is to create a much larger toxic dust bowl.