• pwnicholson@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    It’s been done before (though not intentionally at first), at the Salton Sea.

    And the results weren’t that bad (granted possibly a smaller scale than some are imagining when they forecast doom).

    https://www.ppic.org/blog/the-troubled-history-and-uncertain-future-of-the-salton-sea/

    But the problem is any deserts are deserts for a reason: lack of rainfall and/or natural inflow from rainwater upstream. The result is that you have to keep pumping in tons of water and/or rely on agricultural runoff which is nutrient-depleted and usually full of chemicals.

    Read the rest of the linked article for what’s going on with that one.

    • HobbitFoot @thelemmy.club
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      1 year ago

      It is also important to note that most of the water that made the Salton Sea came from the Colorado River being rerouted back into California, then from irrigation water seepage.

      Even then, the Salton Sea has a hard time supporting marine life. I can’t imagine making it a salt water lake would really help the local wildlife.