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Show SALTON SEA IS DISAPPEARING Possibility That the Land It Has Covered Cov-ered Will Be Soon Available for Agriculture. An inland sea which, according to geologists, has changed from sea to desert, and buck again to sea, at least fifty times since Its inception, Is one of the wonders of the Imperial valley in California. At the present time the Salton sea, which is 160 feet below the ocean's level, Is receding from its banks at the rate of approximately a mile a year. Today the sea Is 18 miles long and nine miles wide at Its widest point., In the heat of the torrid tor-rid season the temperature In Its neighborhood Is from 10 to 20 degrees cooler than that of the surrounding country and outdoor dances are held on one of the abandoned fish-piers left high and dry by the receding waters. wa-ters. The Salton sea is situated in the very heart of the principal date-producing date-producing region of America. The land left bare by the retreating waters wa-ters is eagerly sought by agriculturists, agricultur-ists, who stake their claims far out into the water In anticipation of further fur-ther recessions. The soil is of salt-Incrusted salt-Incrusted adobe clay and very fertile. Mud volcanoes, miniature geysers and bubbling "paintpots" attract many tourists to the spot.' The quality of the volcanic "paintpots" is declared to rival the best European sienna and umber. Utilization of this new-found color supply may soon render the continuation con-tinuation of Europeun Imports of Buch pigment unnecessary. |