Salton Sea

E15864

The Salton Sea is a large, saline, endorheic lake in the Colorado Desert of Southern California, known for its fluctuating water levels, high salinity, and significant environmental and ecological challenges.

Observed surface forms (2)

Surface form Occurrences
Salton Sea ecosystem 1
Salton Sea region 1

Statements (50)

Predicate Object
instanceOf endorheic lake
rift lake
saline lake
basinCountry United States of America
climate hot desert climate
country United States of America
elevation approximately −226 feet
approximately −69 meters
formationEvent 1905 Colorado River levee failure
formedBy Colorado River flooding
geologicalSetting pull-apart basin on the San Andreas Fault system
hasEnvironmentalIssue avian disease outbreaks
declining water level
dust emissions from exposed lakebed
fish die‑offs
increasing salinity
odor events from hydrogen sulfide
hasShoreFeature abandoned marinas
exposed playa
salt-encrusted beaches
historicalUse recreation and tourism
sport fishing
importantFor migratory birds on the Pacific Flyway
inflow Alamo River
New River
Whitewater River (California)
agricultural drainage canals
locatedIn Sonoran Desert
surface form: Colorado Desert

Imperial County
surface form: Imperial County, California

Riverside County
surface form: Riverside County, California

Salton Trough
surface form: Salton Sink

Southern California
locatedInProtectedArea Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge
locatedInTimeZone Pacific Time Zone
maximumDepth approximately 13 meters
approximately 43 feet
near Bombay Beach, California
North Shore, California
Salton City, California
outflow evaporation
partOf Basin and Range Province
Salton Trough
receivesWaterFrom Coachella Valley agricultural runoff
Imperial Valley agricultural runoff
salinityComparedToOcean higher than ocean water
subjectOf California state environmental mitigation plans
Salton Sea Restoration Program
surfaceArea approximately 343 square miles
approximately 890 square kilometers
waterType hypersaline

Referenced by (17)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Coachella Valley adjacentTo Salton Sea
Imperial County contains Salton Sea
Salton Trough contains Salton Sea
Southern California contains Salton Sea
Imperial County hasBodyOfWater Salton Sea
Santa Rosa Mountains hasViewOf Salton Sea
this entity surface form: Salton Sea ecosystem
Calexico locatedNear Salton Sea
Keys View overlooks Salton Sea
San Andreas Fault passesThrough Salton Sea
this entity surface form: Salton Sea region
San Andreas Fault terminusNear Salton Sea