The Salton Sea has a long accidental history and prehistory, but back in the 1930s? 40s? there was an irrigation accident out of some water project in the mountains that filled the basin.
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In the 40,s and 50’s it was Hollywood’s playground.............
The Salton Sea was caused by a breach in the Colorado River. The river was repaired by order of Harriman the railroad mangnate. His railroad moved untold tons of tons of rock from the Patagonia region of Arizona to the river. As I recall it took two years to re-order the Colorado, but by then the Salton Sea had been created.