April 12, 2015 Salton Sea — Dead Fish Edition

On my visit to the western shore of the Salton Sea, I came upon plenty of fish along the shoreline.  These fish were in various states of decomposition, and each and every one was yearning to be photographed.  My best sources inform me that these were tilapia, which can tolerate the increasingly salty waters.  Why are there lots and lots of dead fish along the shore now?  It seems that increased salinity and pollution are to blame.  The Wikipedia entry for the Salton Sea is an interesting read.  The “lake” has been intermittent through the ages.  During wet periods, such as during the Ice Ages, the Salton basin fills with water, and during dry periods the basin is bone dry.  The bottom of the Salton basin is only five feet higher than the bottom of Death Valley.  In 1905 the basin was dry, until a canal from the Colorado River into the Imperial Valley overflowed.  Colorado River water flowed into the Salton basin “accidentally” for two years.  There likely would be no Salton Sea today if it were not for the man-made canals that were constructed around 1900.

Anyway, this entry is about the pretty dead fish that I photographed on April 12.  Enjoy.