The remains of a pier at Bombay Beach, California 2018Read More →
The remains of a pier emerges from what was once the submerged lakebed of the Salton Sea in Southern California. The Salton Sea is a rapidly dying salt lake resting approximately 235 feet below sea level atop the San Andreas fault line. The sand of the lakebed is comprised of a thick layer of skeletal remains from the tilapia that once thrived in these waters. Each year the region’s intense heat evaporates more of the lake concentrating the salt content and reducing oxygen levels in the water, resulting in a massive fish die off. The lake is also a key stopping point for 400 species of migratory waterbirds. However, once here, the birds often die by the tens of thousands due to starvation and illness. The situation is further compounded by agricultural run-off which promotes algal blooms and bacterial growth. The lake perpetually emits an enormous amount of hydrogen sulfide that can be smelled nearly 200 miles away in Los Angeles, created by the massive quantity of decaying fish and migratory birds beneath its surface. During World War II the Salton Sea was an active bomb range used to test inert atomic bombs on marine targets. Unexploded ordinances, including some which are still radioactive, continue to be discovered during inspections of the lake. Bombay Beach, California 2018