"The Positive and Negative are in precarious balance at the Salton Sea and without intervention will tumble like a stack of dominos. And it isn't just the Sea we stand to lose - it's fish, birds, farm production, an opportunity to transfer water to growing cities and a foundation of economic stability for the entire state."
~ Val Kilmer
Val Kilmer hosts an examination of the debate over the Salton Sea, a land-locked lake, created by an engineering blunder 100 years ago, that supports a wide diversity of life but is now slowly choking on chemicals. Can it be saved, or should this artificially created habitat be left alone to wither and die a "natural" death in an unnatural system?
The issues surrounding the Salton Sea confront and confound us. How can we have a healthy fishery and support a large population of migratory birds with a body of water which becomes saltier each year from agricultural runoff and natural evaporation? Without that salt heavy agricultural drainage water the Sea would not exist. Now southern California water agencies see a chance to reduce reliance on the over allocated Colorado River system by transferring water from desert irrigators. But if farmers conserve water to free up supplies for growing cities then the Salton Sea would begin to shrink with ecological disaster not far behind.
Should the Sea be saved or allowed to die? And at what cost? Not just in terms of dollars but in terms of consequences for habitat and for people. There is one thing that is certain about the Salton Sea - there are no easy solutions and the clock is ticking towards irrevocable damage if no action is taken.