Comments on: How Not To: Build an Inland Sea

By: Roger

Roger — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 20:27:26 +0000

There’s an excellent documentary making the rounds this summer on Sundance about the Salton Sea – there’s a site for it at
http://www.sundancechannel.com/films/500203160

By: Justin L

Justin L — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 19:16:46 +0000

Let’s just hope drought never reduces the lake to nothing. If that happens that area would be primed for a tragedy similar to that of the Aral Sea.
hercules.gcsu.edu/~sdatta/home/teaching/hydro/case_studies/aral_sea.html

By: Steve

Steve — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 19:13:09 +0000

“Turns out, farmers were pulling water from the Sea, putting it on their crops, and letting it flow back in.”

The irrigation system in the Imperial Valley is gravity fed and the water is so cheap that it would cost mere to pump it up hill out of the Salton Sea, than to get it when it flows down hill to the farm. I can’t imagine anyone profitably pumping out of the sea.

“I was told by someone on a plane as we were flying over the Salton Sea that to stem the flow of water they started running boxcars and various old train pieces into the water. Any truth to that?”

At one point during the fifth attempt(of ten) to close the break at the Colorado River, some flatcars loaded with rock fell into the breach when a trestle across the break collapsed. There is one account of a locomotive being jacked up and rolled over the side, but while the equipment records of the Southern Pacific Railroad (who was doing the work at that point) confirm the flatcars, there are no missing, lost or sacrificed locomotives connected with the project.

By: Dusty

Dusty — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 17:24:01 +0000

Sid,

Thanks for the article, it looks very interesting.

By: Sid Morrison

Sid Morrison — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 16:46:20 +0000

Dusty – I remember there was an excellent article on it was published in the Winter 2006 (Volume 21, Issue 3) issue of Invention & Techology Magazine (published by American Heritage).

I found the article online:
http://www.americanheritage.com/articles/magazine/it/2006/3/2006_3_38.shtml

They went through a LOT of effort to dam the water!

By: Dusty

Dusty — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 15:41:54 +0000

My Grandmother owns a lot there. Anyone want to buy it?

I was told by someone on a plane as we were flying over the Salton Sea that to stem the flow of water they started running boxcars and various old train pieces into the water. Any truth to that?