In 1905, an engineering mistake created a brand new 400-square-mile sea (lake?) in the California desert. People made the most of it at first, but it didn’t take long to become a toxic brew that now threatens the health of anyone in breathing distance.
# Stuff You Should Know: The Salton Sea
Josh and Chuck dive into the fascinating and tragic story of the Salton Sea, an accidental inland lake in Southern California that transformed from a thriving recreation destination into an environmental disaster. They explore how a temporary irrigation canal breach in the early 1900s created a 400-square-mile body of water that initially seemed like a blessing, complete with flamingos, yacht clubs, and celebrity visitors like Frank Sinatra and Elvis. But as agricultural runoff pumped salt and toxins into the landlocked lake with nowhere to drain, the Salton Sea became a cautionary tale about unintended consequences, featuring devastating fish die-offs, toxic algae blooms, and ongoing health threats to the 650,000 people living nearby.
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