Desolation at the Salton Sea- a Film by Jason Lanier

Desolation at the Salton Sea is a short film created to show the various landscapes, locations, and backdrops that make up one of the most harsh, beautiful, eclectic and forgotten places on the planet, the Salton Sea.

Known as the biggest environmental disaster in California history, the Salton Sea has gone from a lake created by excess irrigation water by farmers that turned into a vacation and recreation spot before turning toxic. The Salton Sea is now slowly receding, a sign of the desolation that has been left behind in thee wake of this once promising oasis in the middle of the desert.

The Salton Sea became a favorite place of photographer Jason Lanier many years ago when he started his photography career. Jason first visited Bombay Beach and the surrounding lake areas over a decade ago. Seeing it change over the last decade has been an incredible thing to witness and document. Like many artists Jason is drawn to this place and loves seeing something new pop up or disappear every time he visits.

This short film is meant to illustrate some of Jason's favorite areas and how they have been impacted by weather, time, and by being forgotten. There will be a behind the scenes video with this as well as this was part of a project called, "Sounds of My City" by Hollyland Audio which helps to capture storytelling through sounds captured in the area where it is being filmed.

Historical Information Taken from Wikipedia:

The lake was created by inflow of water from the Colorado River in 1905. Beginning in 1900, an irrigation canal was dug from the Colorado River to the old Alamo River channel to provide water to the Imperial Valley for farming. The headgates and canals sustained a buildup of silt, so a series of cuts was made in the bank of the Colorado River to further increase the water flow. Water from spring floods broke through a canal head-gate diverting a portion of the river flow into the Salton Basin for two years before repairs were completed. The water in the formerly dry lake bed created the modern lake that is about 15 by 35 miles (24 by 56 km).

The lake would have dried up, but farmers used generous amounts of Colorado River water and let the excess flow into the lake. In the 1950s and into the '60s, the area became a resort destination, and communities grew with hotels and vacation homes. Birdwatching was also popular as the wetlands were a major resting stop on the Pacific Flyway.

In the 1970s, scientists issued warnings that the lake would continue to shrink and become more inhospitable to wildlife. In the 1980s, contamination from farm runoff promoted the outbreak and spread of diseases. Massive die-offs of the avian populations have occurred, especially after the loss of several species of fish on which they depend. Salinity rose so high that large fish kills occurred, often blighting the beaches of the sea with their carcasses. Tourism was drastically reduced.

After 1999, the lake began to shrink as local agriculture used the water more efficiently so less runoff flowed into the lake. As the lake bed became exposed, the winds sent clouds of toxic dust into nearby communities. Smaller amounts of dust reached into the Los Angeles area and people there could sometimes smell an odor coming from the lake.

The state is mainly responsible for fixing the problems, and California lawmakers pledged to fund air-quality management projects in conjunction with the signing of the 2003 agreement to send more water to coastal cities. Local, state, and federal bodies all had found minimal success dealing with the dust, dying wildlife, and other problems for which warnings had been issued decades before. At the beginning of 2018 local agencies declared an emergency and along with the state funded and developed the Salton Sea Management Program.

After a slow start and some small projects, construction started on a $206.5 million project in early 2021 on the delta of the New River, creating ponds and wetlands on the southern shore of the lake.

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