--http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salton_Sea --
The modern sea was accidentally created by the engineers of the California Development Company in 1905. In an effort to increase water flow into the area for farming, irrigation canals were dug from the Colorado River into the valley. Due to fears of silt buildup, a cut was made in the bank of the Colorado River to further increase the water flow. The resulting outflow overwhelmed the engineered canal, and the river flowed into the Salton Basin for two years, filling the historic dry lake bed and creating the modern sea, before repairs were completed-- --E.H. Harriman and his railroad were instrumental in hauling rock to the breach to stop the flooding--for an excellent description of this, consult a book entitled "Colossus" ,the subject of which is the history of the Colorado River and the Hoover Dam---
http://www.amazon.com/Colossus-Turbulent-Thrilling-Building-Hoover/dp/141653217X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1432924005&sr=1-1&keywords=colussus