Salton Sea
Ivan Colburn’s column (June 18) on the Salton Sea contains some misleading and erroneous information. Misleading is the notion that before the sea came into existence birds used different routes on migration. Before the sea, the coast of California consisted of fertile, tidal wetlands, and the wild Colorado River and its delta in the Gulf of California were rich migratory stopovers for birds. Neither of those conditions is true today and migrating birds have few alternatives to the sea.
Erroneous is the statement that the sea’s only source of fresh water comes from agricultural runoff. In fact, the New, Alamo and Whitewater rivers all flow into the Salton Sea. These three rivers are not without their problems but they can be solved. To give up on the Salton Sea is environmentally irresponsible.
RICK CLEMENTS
Claremont
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