Salton Sea: Is it Drying Up?

The once-thriving sea in southeastern California that was a resort mecca is in danger of becoming an environmental disaster. Interest in the water body, along with a BBC report, caused searches on "Salton Sea" to surge on the Web. The inland sea, close to Coachella, which may have caught the eye of recent festival attendees, stretches a massive 360 square miles, and is getting smaller—and saltier.

In this Dec. 27, 2010 photo, the barren earth and dead trees reveal the blight of the Salton Sea, where water conservation efforts are attempting to restore the once natural playground and tourist site. The evaporating Salton Sea is the flashpoint for the latest dispute in California's water wars, testing an uneasy alliance that has sought to wean the Golden State from overreliance on Colorado River water.

SALTON CITY, CA - JULY 7: Dead tilapia fish lie on dry ground near pilings that once supported a dock at a former yacht club on the shore of the Salton Sea, the biggest lake in California, which has dried up and refilled numerous times, on July 7, 2011 in Salton City, California. Scientists have discovered that human-created changes effecting the Salton Sea appear to be the reason why California's massive "Big One" earthquake is more than 100 years overdue and building up for the greatest disaster ever to hit Los Angeles and Southern California. Researchers found that strands of the San Andreas Fault under the 45-mile long rift lake have have generated at least five 7.0 or larger quakes about every 180 years. This ended in the early 20th century when authorities stopped massive amounts of Colorado River water from periodically flooding the into this sub-sea level desert basin. Such floods used to regularly trigger major quakes and relieve building seismic pressure but the last big earthquake on the southern San Andreas was about 325 years ago. Dangerous new fault branches that could trigger a 7.8 quake have recently been discovered under the Salton Sea. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)

SALTON CITY, CA - JULY 7: Dead palm trees stand at a former yacht club on the shore of the Salton Sea, the biggest lake in California, which has dried up and refilled numerous times, on July 7, 2011 in Salton City, California.

In this Dec. 27, 2010 photo, birds gather on a small spot of water surrounding trees supporting heron nests in the midst of the blight that has become Southern California's Salton Sea. The evaporating Salton Sea is the flashpoint for the latest dispute in California's water wars, testing an uneasy alliance that has sought to wean the Golden State from overreliance on Colorado River water.

Dead talpia fish cover land that once was part of the Salton Sea near Calipatria, Calif., Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2006. The Salton Sea, California's largest lake was created in 1905 when floodwaters from the Colorado River burst past a series of dams and settled in the Salton Sink, more than 228 feet below sea level. Ever since, the lake has supported a complex ecosystem.

CALIPATRIA, CA - JULY 3: Foundations of buildings of an early 20th century resort that was used before the rising waters of the Salton Sea turned this hill into Mullet Island, one of the four Salton Buttes, small volcanoes on the southern San Andreas Fault, are seen on July 3 near Calipatria, California. Mullet Island, the only place for many thousands of island nesting birds to breed at the Salton Sea, will become vulnerable to attacks by predators such as raccoons and coyotes if the water level drops just a couple more feet. Scientists have discovered that human-created changes effecting the Salton Sea appear to be the reason why California's massive "Big One" earthquake is more than 100 years overdue and building up for the greatest disaster ever to hit Los Angeles and Southern California. Researchers found that strands of the San Andreas Fault under the 45-mile long rift lake have have generated at least five 7.0 or larger quakes about every 180 years. This ended in the early 20th century when authorities stopped massive amounts of Colorado River water from periodically flooding the into this sub-sea level desert basin. Such floods used to regularly trigger major quakes and relieve building seismic pressure but the last big earthquake on the southern San Andreas was about 325 years ago. Dangerous new fault branches that could trigger a 7.8 quake have recently been discovered under the Salton Sea.