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Much of the salts come from decades of excessive agricultural runoff from beyond wasteful irrigation practices that still continue to this day. Mainly because
by EricE 3y ago
Much of the salts come from decades of excessive agricultural runoff from beyond wasteful irrigation practices that still continue to this day. Mainly because Colorado river water rates were way under market value in the 30's when they were first established and have barely changed ever since, making them wildly ridiculously undervalued today. If CA farmers were charged realistic market rates then they might be incentivized to improve their irrigation practices which would pretty much solve the "water crises" as well as stop increasing the poisoning of the Salton Sea.
- bathMarm0t 3y agoIronically the only reason the lake still exists is the runoff that's poisoning it. As agricultural practices tighten up, the lake will dry/concentrate even more.
- s1artibartfast 3y agoThe natural state of the Salton Sea today would be a dust bowl with no water without human intervention. Without waste from Farm water there would be no Lake to be poisoned at all. People can make the argument that we want a man-made lake in the location to cut down on dust in the air. However, appeals to preserving a natural environment or ecology are not historically based