The Lake That Was Never Supposed to Exist

In the middle of the California desert lies the state's largest lake. In the 1950s and 60s, people called it a new paradise: speedboats, beaches, yacht clubs, and a brand-new city laid out on its shore. Today, much of that shore is empty and dry. But the strangest part of the Salton Sea is how it began. In 1905, a poorly protected irrigation intake on the Colorado River gave way, and for almost two years the river poured into a dry basin more than 200 feet below sea level. When the breach was closed in 1907, a new lake was left behind. In Case #006 we follow the whole story: the accident that created the lake, the resort boom, the plan for Salton City, and how salt, floods, farm water and changing water deals reshaped it. We also look at the dust from the exposed lakebed, and at what California is doing to restore the Salton Sea today. No, Salton City isn't a ghost town. And no, the lake isn't simply "dying". The real story is about water. ⏱ Chapters 0:00 The paradise 0:31 Case #006 0:42 Where are we? 1:01 A lake that shouldn't be here 1:26 1901: bringing the river to the desert 1:54 1905: the river breaks loose 2:19 1907: a new lake 2:43 The lake that stayed 3:07 The boom 3:32 Salton City 3:59 How big was it supposed to be? 4:29 What changed? 5:21 Less water 5:47 Fish and birds 6:03 Salton City today 6:18 The dust 6:36 Can it be saved? 6:56 The explanation 📌 Some images in this video are AI-generated reconstructions or illustrations and are labelled on screen. They are not archival photos. Where sources disagree, we say so. Sources include the Salton Sea Management Program, Imperial Irrigation District, U.S. Census Bureau, UC Riverside, San Diego History Center and CalMatters. The Strange File. Real places. Strange stories. One explanation. Subscribe for a new case every week. #SaltonSea #California #EnvironmentalHistory