An accidental birth in the desert
The glamorous desert playground
The unfolding ecological crisis
The toxic dust and public health
The rise of Lithium Valley and clean energy
How far away have sulfurous odors from the Salton Sea been detected during extreme wind events?
What is the primary weather event that carries toxic dust from the Salton Sea into nearby communities?
marcus Dodge toxic dust storms to learn how the vanishing Salton Sea affects local health.
marcus Decades of agricultural runoff left pesticide residues and heavy metals trapped in the lakebed mud.
What is the scientific term for the dry, exposed lakebed left behind as the Salton Sea shrinks?
marcus Salton Sea Toxic Dust
Sea is shrinking, dust is blowing, harming lungs and children growing.
marcus Local communities, particularly children, suffer from exceptionally high rates of respiratory illnesses.
Which chronic respiratory illness affects children in the Imperial Valley at double the California state average?
Which banned historic pesticide is still found in the sediment of the Salton Sea due to decades of farm runoff?
Smelly winds: The odor of decaying organic matter from the Salton Sea has occasionally been smelled over 150 miles away in Los Angeles.
How many acres of dry playa have been exposed as the Salton Sea has receded in recent decades?
Which toxic metalloid, naturally occurring but concentrated by agricultural runoff, is found in the exposed Salton Sea dust?
A chronic respiratory condition characterized by breathing difficulties, coughing, and wheezing. A landmark 2026 study confirmed that proximity to the drying lake fuels asthma and stunts children's lung growth.