To the editor: Anybody who says the Salton Sea is only a man-made lake that exists only because of an accident more than 100 years ago reveals a obvious 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 The outdated shoreline remains to be seen in a number of locations.
Earlier than the present dams had been constructed, the Colorado River carried an enormous sediment load, and when it stuffed its channel, it could bounce 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.
Reasonably than a man-made lake, we’ve actually created a man-made desert. Given its personal freedom, the river would’ve flooded the complete Imperial Valley, because it has many occasions earlier than.
Ted Caragozian, Ranchita, Calif.