Why Is There a Sea in the Middle of California?

What the film says

1. The Salton Sea is California's largest lake by surface area, formed when Colorado River floodwater broke through irrigation canal intakes in 1905.

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2. The California Development Company's canal ran through Mexico to bring Colorado River water to the Imperial Valley.

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3. The lake has no outlet, so it is endorheic and water leaves only by evaporation; agricultural runoff is the main inflow.

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4. Resort communities included Salton City, Desert Shores and Bombay Beach.

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5. The sea is a major Pacific Flyway stop where over 400 bird species have been documented.

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6. On August 4, 1999, about 7.6 million tilapia died in a single day, the largest one-day kill recorded there.

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7. Fish die-offs are driven by low oxygen in hot, salty water and decaying algae blooms.

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8. Joshua Tree National Park covers about 795,000 acres.

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