| 1500 — |
Lake Cahuilla dries up for last time. Estimates range
from 1300 to 1500. Agua Caliente Indians move into canyons. |
| 1540 — |
Colorado River Delta explored by Melchoir Diaz. |
| 1600 — |
Spanish start to explore Salton Basin. Continues into
the 1800's. |
| 1604 — |
Spanish Governor of 'New' Mexico, Don Juan de Ornate,
explores and names the Rio Colorado. |
| 1616 — |
Pearl hunting and trading expedition up the Gulf of
California and into the Colorado River Delta led by Captain Juan Delturbe. |
| 1701 — |
Father Eusebio Francisco Kino crossed Colorado River
into Salton Basin. |
| 1774 — |
Juan Batisto de Anza led expedition through Salton
Basin, 'El Camino Del Diablo', to establish overland route to San Gabriel Mission. Said to have found wreck of the lost Pearl ship. |
| 1782 — |
Don Pedro Foges made first trip from Colorado River
to San Diego. |
| 1815 — |
Report of San Gabriel Mission Indians mining salt.
Expeditions start from Los Angeles to obtain salt. |
| 1822 — |
Mexico gains independence from Spain. |
| 1825 — |
Trappers, Kit Carson, Jedediah Smith, William Wolfskill,
and others are recorded to have gone through the Salton Basin. |
| 1828 — |
Record of flood. |
| 1846 — |
Lt. W.H. Emory dispatched with troops from Ft. Leavenworth
to protect Americans from harassment by 'Californians'. Exhausted after crossing Salton Basin, they
were overrun by Mexicans and Spaniards at San Pasqual. |
|
US enters war with Mexico. |
| 1848 — |
US wins California from Mexico in Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
US/Mexico border established. |
|
Gold is discovered at Sutter’s Mill, San Francisco |
| 1849 — |
Dr. Oliver Wozencraft observed Native Americans growing
crops around springs; corn, barley, and vegetables. |
|
Dr. Oliver Wozencraft records flood in basin. |
|
Gold discovered in Northern California. Gold Rush begins
and traffic through the Salton Basin begins. |
| 1850 — |
California admitted to Union as the 31st state. |
|
J.R. Bartlett surveys US/Mexico border. |
| 1852 — |
Record of flood. |
| 1853 — |
The Gadsden Purchase. Lands bordering the US from California
to Texas sold to US by Mexico. |
|
Lt. K.S. Williamson (US Topographic Engineers) lead
expedition with William Blake (Geologist) surveyed Salton Basin for railroad routes. Blake
claims that the basin could be productive if it could be irrigated. |
| 1855 — |
Williamson/Blake party experiences severe earthquake
(probably 6.0 mag, in L.A.) and violent mud volcano activity in the south. |
| 1858 — |
Butterfield Stage route through Salton Basin, passenger
fare was $100, St. Louis to San Francisco took 25 days. |
| 1859 — |
Record of flood. |
|
Dr. Oliver Wozencraft receives support from State
government for developing the basin, works toward federal support. |
| 1861 — |
Outbreak of the Civil War diverts federal attention
and support. |
| 1862 — |
Congress passes the Homestead Act, which allows citizens
to settle on up to 160 acres of surveyed but unclaimed public land and receive title to it after
making improvements and residing there for five years. |
|
Massive flooding. |
|
Pacific Railroad Act, which authorizes the Central
Pacific and Union Pacific Companies to build a transcontinental rail line along the 42nd parallel
and provides public lands and subsidies for every mile of track laid. |
| 1867 — |
Record of flood. |
| 1876 — |
First Indian Reservations designated by President Grant.
Torres-Martinez Desert Cahuilla Reservation established with a 640 acre grant. |
|
First survey for an "All American" canal by Lt. Eric
Bergland. |
| 1877 — |
Southern Pacific Railroad crosses Salton Basin. |
|
Congress passes the Desert Land Act, which permits
settlers to purchase up to 640 acres of public land at 25¢ per acre in areas where the arid climate
requires large-scale farming, provided they irrigate the land. |
| 1885 — |
Desert Act opens area for homesteaders and developers.
Dependant on artesian wells. |
| 1891 — |
Flooding due to heavy rainfall. |
| 1891 — |
California Irrigation Company formed by John C. Beatty. |
|
Torres-Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians are given 20,000
acres land on north side of basin. |
| 1892 — |
New Liverpool Salt Company ships salt from basin to
San Francisco. |
| 1893 — |
California Irrigation Company declares bankruptcy. |
| 1894 — |
The Carey Act grants one million acres of public land to
arid states and territories on the condition they "reclaim" the land by irrigation and sell it to
settlers. This attempt to promote irrigation of arid Western lands proves unsuccessful when states
find they cannot raise the funds to mount large-scale irrigation projects. Effective land
reclamation in the West will require a massive federal investment. |
|
First drill used for well in Mecca. |
| 1896 — |
California Development Company formed by Charles
R. Rockwood. |
| 1899 — |
Record of flood. |
| 1900 — |
George Chaffey takes over California Development
Company to build Alamo Canal. Leaves in 1902. |
|
Calexico founded by G. Chaffey as a tent city for
workers on Alamo Canal. |
| 1901 — |
Alamo Canal opens into Imperial Valley, May 14. |
|
1,000 people farming 100,000 acres. |
|
Standard Salt Company starts mining salt in basin. |
| 1902 — |
George Chaffey forms Imperial Land Company. Names the
basin 'Imperial Valley' to attract settlers. |
|
Bureau of Soils report for Imperial Valley states that
soils "were so alkali that very few things could be grown on them." |
|
President Theodore Roosevelt secures passage of the
Newlands Reclamation Act, an unprecedented law authorizing federal construction of dams and
reservoirs in the West funded by public land sales. The act is designed to promote settlement
(rather than industry) by limiting tracts within the water project areas to 160 acres, in
accordance with the 1862 Homestead Act, and is designed to be self-sustaining by passing the
costs of construction on to water-users, who are to assume management of each project once the
federal government has been reimbursed. |
| 1903 — |
W.F. Holt installs first power facility on Alamo River.
Sold to Nev-Cal in 1916. |
| 1904 — |
10,000 settlers in Imperial Valley. |
|
Alamo Canal silting up, plans to relocate intake
on Colorado River. |
| 1905 — |
Captain Charles Davis moves to a volcanic butte,
later Mullet Island. |
|
Two floods in February and one in March breach dike
and form Salton Sea. |
|
June. 90,000 cubic feet of water per second going into
the Salton Basin. |
|
E.H. Harriman, president of the Southern Pacific Railroad,
loans California Development Company $200,000 to repair canal. June. |
|
June. Civil Engineer, C.E. Grunsky, of the U.S.
Reclamation Service, described the situation as 'not serious, but sufficiently alarming as to
require some attention.' |
|
Sandbag and brush-mattress dam completed early
November. |
|
Flood, November 30th. Washes away dam. Breach 600 feet
wide. S.P. Railroad tracks flooded. |
| 1906 — |
April. C.R. Rockwood quits California Development Co.,
H.T. Cory replaces him as Chief Engineer. Southern Pacific Railroad takes control of efforts to
contain flood and repair breach. |
|
June flood. Breach is 10 miles wide and there is a 23(28)
foot waterfall on the New River near Calexico. 75,000 cubic feet of water per second going into
the basin. Salton Sea rising seven inches per day. Amount of sediment eroded equal to four times
the amount dug from the Panama Canal. |
|
November. Breach filled by Southern Pacific Railroad. |
|
December 5. Flood breaches dike. |
|
First report of sea being used by waterfowl. |
| 1907 — |
Breach filled by Southern Pacific Railroad.
February 10, 1907. Elevation of sea recorded at -195ft. |
|
Totals - 13,000 acres lost to erosion; damage to rail
lines over $870,000; 12,000 acres of crops lost; cost of flood control/repairs by S.P. Railroad
estimated at $3 million. |
|
Imperial County formed. |
|
Land rush when oil was reported to have been found
in area, 450,000 acres filed on. |
| 1908 — |
First report, by Joseph Grinnel, of breeding colonies
of birds at Salton Sea. |
|
Captain Davis builds 'Hell's Kitchen'. Boatlanding,
café, and dancehall. He is said to have released sea lions into that sea that were
reported to have crawled out at night to steal local farmers pigs. |
| 1909 — |
An additional 10,000 flooded acres held in trust
for Torres-Martinez Indians. |
| 1911 — |
Imperial Irrigation District (IID) formed,buys California
Development Company. |
| 1915 — |
Lord Mosley's Ostrich Farm in Brawley. 2,200 birds.
Plumes valued at $350 per pound. |
|
Old Plank Road' laid across Algodones Dunes by Colonel
Ed Fletcher. |
|
6.3 mag earthquake centered on Imperial Fault Zone, June 22. |
| 1922 — |
Colorado River Compact. The States of Arizona, California,
Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming, enter into a compact under the Act of the Congress
of the United States of America to provide for the equitable division and apportionment of the use
of the waters of the Colorado River System. |
| 1924 — |
President Coolidge issues executive order for the Salton
Sea to be used as a drainage reservoir. |
| 1925 — |
Sea elevation is -250ft below sea level. |
| 1926 — |
Gus Eilers and John Goldthwaite founded Date Palm Beach
(later Desert Beach). Several movies filmed there. Popular area with soldiers. General Patton visits. |
|
State Highway Commission builds asphalt/concrete road
alongside 'Old Plank Road'. |
| 1927 — |
Frontier Development Company first to drill for
geothermal resources. |
| 1928 — |
Boulder Canyon Project Act. Apportioned the lower basin's
7.5 maf among the states of Arizona (2.8 maf), California (4.4 maf) and Nevada (0.3 maf). |
| 1929 — |
First boat races from Date Palm Beach. 2,000 attend.
5 world records set. |
|
Stripped Bass introduced by CDFG, did not thrive. |
| 1930 — |
Mudsuckers and pileworms introduced for fish food. |
|
Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge established. |
| 1931 — |
Boulder Canyon Project Agreement (California Seven Party
Agreement). Palo Verde Irrigation District, Imperial Irrigation District, Coachella Valley County
W ater District, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, City of Los Angeles, City of
San Diego and County of San Diego agree to the apportionments and priorities of water from the
Colorado R iver for use in California. |
|
5,000 farms in Imperial Valley and 60,000 residents |
| 1932 — |
Henry J. Kaiser proposed idea of digging a canal from the
Gulf of California to the Salton Sea to facilitate shipping steel from Fontana steel mill. |
| 1934 — |
Construction on All American Canal begins. |
|
Silver Salmon introduced by CDFG, did not thrive. |
| 1935 — |
Sea elevation is -248ft below sea level. |
| 1938 — |
Construction on Coachella Canal begins. |
| 1940 — |
Salton Sea Naval Base established. |
|
Barnacles introduced to the sea through naval ships and
sea planes. |
|
6.9 mag earthquake centered on Imperial Fault Zone, May
18. Nine dead and $6 million in damages. |
| 1942 — |
All American Canal opens. |
| 1944 — |
B-29's fly practice missions and drop dummy bombs into
Salton Sea. |
|
The Mexican Water Treaty. Committed 1.5 maf of the
river's annual flow to Mexico. |
| 1946 — |
Date Palm Beach development sold to C. Roy Hunter.
Re-names it Desert Beach. Starts Salton Sea Yatch Club. |
|
Salton Sea Test Base taken over by Sandia Corporation
for the Atomic Energy Commission. |
| 1948 — |
Coachella Canal opens. |
|
Upper Colorado River Basin Compact. Apportioned the
Upper Basin's 7.5 maf among Colorado (3.9 maf), New Mexico (.84 maf), Utah (1.7 maf), and
Wyoming (1.1 maf). |
|
Floods and excessive agricultural runoff result in
rise in sea elevation. Yatch Club and other area business are flooded. |
| 1950 — |
Salton Sea second most popular recreation spot in
California. Continues until 1970. |
| 1951 — |
CDFG stock over 30 types of fish in Salton Sea. Only
a few, Sargo,Corvina, and Croaker survive and multiply. |
|
Salton Sea Regatta sets 21 world records. |
| 1955 — |
Salton Sea State Park dedicated February 12. Second
largest state park in California. |
| 1956 — |
Elevation of sea is -234 feet below sea level. |
|
Colorado River Storage Project. Construct, operate,
and maintain dams, reservoirs, powerplants, and transmission facilities for the Upper
Colorado River Basin. |
| 1958 — |
North Shore established by Ray Ryan and Trav Rogers. |
|
Salton City founded by M. Penn Phillips. |
| 1960 — |
North Shore Motel and Yatch Club built. |
| 1961 — |
Salton City development taken over by the Holly
Corporation. 15,000 lots sold. Roads, sewers, powerlines, and watermains laid out but no
houses built. |
| 1962 — |
North Shore Yatch Club . Largest marina in Southern
California. Visitors include the Beach Boys, Jerry Lewis, and the Marx Brothers. |
| 1963 — |
Champion golf course and Yatch Club built. Visited
by Desi Arnaz, Tommy Bolt, Harry James, and Johnny Weissmuller. |
| 1964 — |
Tilapia get into Salton Sea through canals where
they were introduced to control vegetation. |
|
First commercial geothermal well. |
|
State of Arizona v. State of California. Settles
a 25-year-old water use dispute between Arizona and California. |
| 1968 — |
Sea elevation recorded at -233 feet below sea level. |
|
The Colorado River Basin Project Act. Authorized
construction of a number of water development projects in both the upper and lower basins. |
| 1973 — |
Minute 242 of the U.S.-Mexico International
Boundary and Water Commission - Required the U.S. to take actions to reduce the salinity of
water being delivered to Mexico at Morelos Dam. |
| 1974 — |
The Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act.
Authorized desalting and salinity control projects to improve Colorado River quality. |
| 1975 — |
Mid Seventies park attendance over 500,000 per year.
Rivaled Yosemite for tourism. |
| 1976 — |
Flooding due to heavy rainfall from tropical storm
Kathleen. |
|
Holly House Restaurant turned into casino by Linda
Dresser. |
| 1977 — |
Flooding due to heavy rainfall from tropical storm
Doreen. |
|
Casino and Yatch Club flooded and abandoned. |
| 1979 — |
6.4 mag earthquake centered on Imperial Fault
Zone, October 15. $30 million in property damage, nine injured. |
| 1980 — |
Sea elevation is -228. |
| 1985 — |
Salinity level reaches 40,000 ppt. |
| 1986 — |
State issues advisory about selenium levels in
fish. |
| 1987 — |
Avian cholera kills 500 |
| 1988 — |
Salton Sea Task Force appointed by the California
Resource Agency. Without funds they disband in 1993. |
|
1,000 dabbling ducks and other shore birds die from avian botulism. |
| 1989 — |
4,500 cattle egrets die from salmonellosis. |
| 1990 — |
500 birds die from several causes. |
| 1991 — |
2,000 deaths from avian cholera. |
| 1992 — |
150,000 eared grebes and ruddy ducks are found dead. |
|
Over 2,400 grebes die of unknown cause |
| 1993 — |
Salton Sea Authority (SSA) is formed. A joint
effort between Riverside and Imperial counties as well as Coachella Valley Water District
and Imperial Irrigation District. |
| 1994 — |
Over 20,00 various birds die from several
causes. |
| 1995 — |
2,000 birds die from undetermined cause. |
|
Salinity level reaches 45,000 ppt. |
| 1996 — |
Avian botulism outbreak responsible for 14,000 deaths |
| 1997 — |
January: 50,000 tilapia
die from Vibrio alginolyticus. |
|
Wildlife hospital opens at Salton Sea Wildlife
Refuge. |
|
August: 1,000,000
tilapia die. |
|
June: Newcastle disease
confirmed as cause of over 1,900 double-crested cormorant deaths. |
|
Almost 2,500 eared grebes die. |
| 1998 — |
250,000 visitors to Salton Sea. |
|
Dr. Milt Friend named as executive director of
the Science Subcommittee, formed to investigate environmental issues concerning the Salton
Sea. |
|
Congress passes the Salton Sea Reclamation Act
directing the Bureau of Reclamation to prepare a feasibility study for restoration. |
| 1999 — |
August: 7.6 million
tilapia and croakers die. |
| 2000 — |
January: California Sen.
Diane Feinstein, Congresswoman Mary Bono and Deputy Interior Secretary David Hayes give
speeches at the Salton Sea Symposium. |
|
January: Pilot projects
are approved and several alternatives are tested. |
|
January: The release
of a draft environmental impact statement/environmental impact report by the Department
of Interior. |
|
February: Public
hearings in the Imperial and Coachella valleys to receive comments on Salton Sea Draft
Environmental Impact Statement. |
|
February: Salton Sea
Authority and the Bureau of Reclamation conduct a demonstration of the ground-based enhanced
evaporation system. |
|
May: Salton Sea Authority
will begin a series of pilot projects recommended by Parsons Engineering. |
|
July: Salton Sea
Authority to construct a series of small solar evaporation ponds. |
|
July: Salton Sea
Authority and the U.S. Department of Interior/Bureau of Reclamation have announced that
they expect to select a preferred alternative for the restoration of the Salton Sea. |
|
August: Wildlife Disease
Program underway to help with early detection of disease outbreaks and clean-up response. |
|
November: Congress
approves bill to compensate the Torres-Martinez Indians for land lost under the Salton
Sea. |
|
December: The Salton
Sea Authority enters into a partnership with the Salton Community Services District by
funding a fish cleanup effort on the West Shore. |
|
December: A pet food
manufacturer evaluates Salton Sea tilapia and commercial harvesting of the prolific fish
becomes a possibility. |
| 2001 — |
January: Bureau of
Reclamation and the Salton Sea Authority hold a pilot demonstration of an Enhanced
Evaporation System. |
|
June: Torres Martinez
Desert Cahuilla Tribe becomes a voting member of the Salton Sea Authority's board of
directors. |
| 2002 — |
February: Salton Sea
Authority evaluates the potential of using desalinization. |
|
March: The Salton Sea
Authority Thursday unanimously approves a resolution expressing concerns about adverse air
quality impacts of the water transfer and opposed transfer projects that would significantly
lower the level of the Salton Sea. |
|
March: The Salton Sea
Authority Board Thursday approves a contract with the University of Redlands to develop
an environmental education curriculum focused on the Salton Sea. |
|
May: The Salton Sea
Authority opposes to water transfer projects that would significantly lower the level of
the Salton Sea. |
|
September: The Salton
Sea Authority and Kent SeaTech Corp break ground on an innovative project to remove nutrients
from agricultural drain water through the use of a natural process involving high-rate algae
ponds and algae-eating fish. |
|
October: The Salton Sea
Authority calls upon the State Water Resources Control Board to fully preserve the viability
of the Salton Sea restoration effort and hold hearings near the Sea to allow area residents to
voice their concerns. |
|
December: The Salton Sea
Authority will be conducts an independent study of a proposal by U.S. Filter Corp. |
| 2003 — |
January: Legislation announced
limiting the Imperial Irrigation District's ability to receive Colorado River water. |
|
March:Salton Sea CD Atlas released by Salton Sea Database Program, Redlands Institute, University of Redlands. |
|
April: Salton Sea Authority
Board of Directors unanimously endorse moving forward with the so called "North Lake" plan. |
|
April: State Sen. Michael
Machado amends his State Senate Bill 750 that would add $1 billion for a program to integrate
restoration of the Salton Sea with water transfers. |
|
September:Governor signs water transfer and new Salton Sea legislation. |
|
October:Geotechnical work began in an effort to determine the best location for dikes in the Salton Sea. |
|
October:New water transfer deal that included an estimated $300 million for Salton Sea restoration. The deal creates a closed water market to sell runoff from Imperial Valley farms to San Diego urban water users with some proceeds benefiting Sea restoration efforts. |
|
October:Tax Increment Financing Feasibility Study. |
| 2004 — |
February:Torres-Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians become a full voting member of the Salton Sea Authority board. |
|
March:The Salton Sea Authority’s boundaries are expanded to take in land area five miles around the Sea. |
|
April:The Salton Sea Authority is proposing that local, state and federal agencies enter into formal agreements to collaborate on Salton Sea restoration efforts. |
|
April:Salton Sea Authority's official endorsement of a restoration project for an 8-mile causeway that would split the Salton Sea into two smaller bodies of water: an 85,000 acre North Basin that would be about as salty as the ocean, and a southern section that would consist of wetlands areas as well as numerous recreational lakes ranging from fresh water to hyper saline. |
|
June:Tom Kirk, Salton Sea Authority Executive Director since 1997 , resigns. |
|
July:Imperial County Supervisor Gary Wyatt elected as Chairman of the Salton Sea Authority Board of Directors and Coachella Valley Water District Director Russell Kitahara appointed to the Salton Sea Authority board replacing CVWD Director Patricia A. (Corky) Larson. |
|
July:An Outdoor Recreation Advisory Task Force concluded that the future of the Salton Sea can be a bright one. The task force was appointed in February by the Salton Sea Authority Board to evaluate the recreational potential of a restored Salton Sea. |
|
August:Ron Enzweiler named executive director of the Salton Sea Authority. |
|
November:The Salton Sea Authority pursues state legislation to put restoration of the Sea back in the hands of local authorities. The “Salton Sea Local Control Act” would designate the Authority as the implementing agency for the Salton Sea restoration project and free the Authority to implement a locally determined project which, in addition to providing permanent ecosystem and wildlife projection values, would also include recreational and economic benefits. |
| 2005 — |
January:California Resources Agency announces that the Salton Sea Authority will receive $750,000 for a pilot treatment project for selenium removal. |
|
January:Dept of Water Resources (DWR) conducting study of alternatives for ecosystem preservation. |
|
January:State legislature controls $300 million in local funds designated for restoration. Sen. Ducheny asked to sponsor legislation to put Salton Sea Authority in charge so Local Restoration Plan can be implemented provided we secure $500 million in local/private financing. |
| 2006 — |
October:The California Resources Agency released the Salton Sea Ecosystem Restoration Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Report. |