SALTON SEA

In 1950, a dam on the Colorado River exploded and hundreds of tons of water poured into a nearby valley. This inland sea, above sea level, is nothing but the result of human error. At the time, local farmers rushed around the so-called giant lake to develop their crops, while tourists, bailed by this unhoped-for freshness in the wilderness, only a few kilometers away from the very fashionable Palm Springs, practiced water skiing and faring on the banks of the Salton Sea. Hotels, restaurants and cafes grow like mushrooms. The water of the inland sea is twice as salty as that of the Pacific. Fish are introduced, fishing competitions organized. The seaside resort is expanding, more heavily frequented than Yosemite National Park, until the 1970 s, which saw Salton Sea water evaporating suddenly. The idyllic landscape is transformed into a true ecological nightmare, streaked with dead fish and trees that are spotted by salt. Tourists flee, buildings are abandoned. Today, Salton Sea is a dystopic curiosity worthy of a science fiction film. Some too poor people to escape from this salty hell still live on the shores of Salton Sea, in rusty caravans and ghosts.