By Heidi Simmons
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“Portraits and Voices of the Salton Sea”
by Christina Lange
Nonfiction
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Right in our back yard is the State of California’s largest body of water. At 33 miles long and 13 miles wide –- that’s approximately 376 square miles! — it is considered a sea. To put that in clearer perspective, the Salton Sea is bigger than Tahoe and Mono Lakes put together.
Surprisingly, CV residents don’t know much about this body of water, or they have a negative impression. Even so, most have never visited. In her book, Portraits and Voices of the Salton Sea (Salton Sink Publishing, 112 pages), author and photographer Christine Lange gives readers the opportunity to visit its shores, it residents, and the people who are trying to save the Salton Sea.
Lange interviews 19 people about how they discovered the Sea, why they love it and what they think the Sea’s future holds. The conversations are love stories. Since the publication in 2012, concerns for the Salton Sea have intensified. An ecological disaster looms on the horizon just like the lovely blue body of water itself, which shines at the valley’s eastern edge.
The Salton Sea is evaporating. There is no constant fresh water inflow, nor is there an outlet. The only source of water is rain and agricultural irrigation runoff from the Coachella and Imperial Valleys.
As the Sea loses water, it causes the salinity to rise, which threatens the fish populations and impacts the birds that feed on them. The Salton Sea is a critical stop for 400,000 migrating birds along the Pacific Flyway.
If the Sea should disappear, it will be a biodiversity disaster for both wildlife and humans. The Sea’s floor is laden with chemical residue that, once exposed, could cause serious health issues.
Kathy Dice, former Superintendent of the Salton Sea Recreation Park, writes the forward. She shares the Sea’s past and spells out the problems. In her tenure, she has seen the devotion of those who have discovered the Sea and invites others to come see the Sea for themselves.
Al Kalin is a Farmer in the Imperial Valley who has lived by the Sea his entire life. For over fifty years, he has watched the decline. He is not optimistic. Kalin has seen the numerous studies and all the money that has come and gone without any change or plan.
Jeni Bate is an artist living in Salton City. She came to the area after reading a book called “The Death and Life of Bobby Zee” which is set in Anza Borrego. She loves bird watching and thought she could paint the wide variety of birds. Her paintings of sunrises and sunsets, done from her patio, are big sellers.
Couple Jennifer Nicholas and Steve Sanchez met at the Salton Sea. They love the starry night sky and quiet. They both know that more people would love the Salton Sea if they knew about its beauty and potential.
Steve Johnson is a volunteer at the Salton Sea History Museum in Mecca and lives by the Sea year round. He loves that there is no traffic and he regularly swims in the Sea. With the salinity higher than the Pacific Ocean, he believes the water has therapeutic effects for arthritis and certain skin conditions.
Susan Magdaleno is retired and lives in San Diego. She comes to the Salton Sea to fly her powered paraglider. She loves the open space and hopes the area doesn’t get overwhelmed with population. She thinks of the Sea as one kind of paradise.
First-time Los Angeles visitors, Katerine Knauer and Yasin Sengul, had a mystical experience at the Salton Sea and thought the area was “more fun than church.”
Jody and Russell Schneider live in Salton City. Russell thinks the best idea he heard to save the sea was working with Mexico to run a shipping canal to the Salton Sea from the Sea of Cortez. This would allow water to flow in and out solving the problem and would also generate jobs, recreation and tourism. He believes that’s the best plan and was disappointed when it was rejected.
There are many more voices with unique lifestyles, genuine concerns and bold ideas.
Portraits and Voices of the Salton Sea is an inside look at the lives of those directly experiencing the joy, beauty, solitude and community of the Salton Sea. They all contribute to a bigger picture of the area that so few in the valley have taken time to understand. Many of those interviewed are informed and deeply concerned. They are mystified why more valley residents don’t get involved and don’t take advantage of the many recreational activities the area provides.
More and more is being said about the Sea as its demise continues. That sad process will indeed affect all who live here in the valley and beyond. This book, with its lovely full-page photos, is a wonderful way to get a first-hand look without leaving your chair or neighborhood. Reading Portraits and Voices of the Salton Sea inspires a trip to the Sea as well as a call to action to Save Our Sea!
