KQED PRODUCTION, PRESENTED IN ASSOCIATION WITH: AND: (* Fast-Paced Theme Music ) NEXT ON TRULY CALIFORNIA... (* Music ) THE SALTON SEA WAS ONCE KNOWN
AS THE CALIFORNIA RIVIERA. Les Marty:
IN THE '50s AND '60s, THE SEA HAD MORE TOURISTS
THAN YOSEMITE PARK. Announcer:
AFTER A STRING OF DISASTERS,
THE DESERT LAKE IS NOW CONSIDERED
AN ENVIRONMENTAL TRAIN WRECK. Norm Niver:
WALL-TO-WALL DEAD FISH,
150 FEET OUT FROM MY DOCK. Announcer:
A SURREAL PARADISE
ON THE VERGE OF COLLAPSE, NEXT ON "PLAGUES AND PLEASURES
ON THE SALTON SEA." Female Announcer:
SUPPORT FOR TRULY CALIFORNIA
IS PROVIDED BY: ...INDIVIDUALS, FOUNDATIONS
AND CORPORATIONS COMMITTED TO THE PRODUCTION
AND ACQUISITION OF QUALITY PROGRAMS. AND BY: (* Hawaiian Steel Guitar ) John Waters:
LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT A PLACE, FAR BEYOND THE SPRAWL
OF SUBURBAN AMERICA, WHERE SUCCESS AND FAILURE
COLLIDE, AND WHERE UTOPIA
AND THE APOCALYPSE MEET TO DANCE A DIRTY TANGO. IT'S A SPECIAL PLACE, A BIT CLOSER
THAN YOU MIGHT THINK, THAT DRAWS A UNIQUE GROUP
OF OUTSIDERS, LOOKING FOR
AN AWFULLY BEAUTIFUL LIFE, ON THE EDGE OF
A BEAUTIFULLY AWFUL PARADISE. UH, YOU KNOW WHAT, THERE'S VERY FEW PEOPLE THAT
KNOW ABOUT THE SALTON SEA... VERY FEW. Les Marty:
IF THEY DON'T KNOW
WHERE IT'S AT, YOU TELL 'EM 50 MILES
SOUTH OF PALM SPRINGS-- WHICH I USE
AS A REFERENCE POINT. CALIFORNIA'S VERSION
OF THE FRENCH RIVIERA, WITH BEAUTIFUL WEATHER, WATER AVAILABLE FOR BOATING, AND AS A PLACE FOR RECREATION
AND FISHING AND SO ON. THE FISHING IN THE SUMMER
IS GREAT...GREAT! THE HOTTER THE WATER,
THE BETTER THE FISHING. THAT'S NOT EDIBLE FISH. IF THEY ARE EATING THOSE FISH,
AND THEY EAT VERY MUCH OF 'EM, THEY'LL GET
BOTULISM POISONING. THAT SEA IS FILTHY. DEAD FISH, DEAD BIRDS,
DEAD EVERYTHING OVER THERE. WE HAVE THE ODOR PROBLEM, WE HAVE
THE INSECT PROBLEM-- NAMELY THE COMMON HOUSEFLY. IT GETS HOT HERE
IN THE SUMMER. IT'S 120 DEGREES HERE, 100 DEGREES AT MIDNIGHT;
YOU KNOW, IT'S WARM. BUT THAT'S WHAT WE GOT
AIR CONDITIONING FOR. WE DO EVEN GO SWIMMING
IN THE WATER. IT'S MORE SALTIER
THAN THE OCEAN. AND IT HEALS YOUR SKIN. IF YOU HAVE A SKIN PROBLEM,
IT HEALS YOUR SKIN. WHY CLEAN UP
A MOST USEFUL SEWER? IT'S THE GREATEST SEWER
THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN. LEAVE IT THAT WAY. IT'S PERFECT FOR THAT PURPOSE. IF IT HAD BEEN
HANDLED CORRECTLY, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ANOTHER
PALM SPRINGS RIGHT NOW. THE SMELL. IT'S THE SMELL--A LOT. AND THEN THE FACT THAT WE
DON'T HAVE ANYTHING HERE. IT IS RATHER BLEAK. BLEAK IS THE WORD. THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BODY
OF WATER IN CALIFORNIA. YOU CAN GO BOATING,
YOU CAN GO FISHING, YOU CAN GO JET SKIING. YOU HAVE BEAUTIFUL
ROCK FORMATIONS. YOU HAVE THE MOUNTAINS, WHERE YOU CAN SEE,
IN THE SUMMERTIME, YOU CAN SEE SNOWCAPS
ON THE MOUNTAINS. YOU HAVE EVERYTHING. YOU HAVE EVERYTHING THAT
YOU CAN FIND NOWHERE ELSE. THERE'S NO FAST FOODS HERE. THERE'S NO RECREATION FOR YOUNGSTERS,
KIDS OR ANYTHING. I MEAN THERE AIN'T NOTHING HERE. YOU CAN'T GET NOTHING--
THE STORES CLOSE AT 6:00! SO YOU CAN'T BUY BOOZE
AFTER 6:00. I LIKE IT HERE. I'LL DIE HERE. I MEAN, COME ON, WE AIN'T EVEN GOT A MALL
OR NOTHIN' OUT HERE. WE'RE AWAY FROM EVERYTHING! BUT IT IS JUST A SUPER,
SUPER, WONDERFUL PLACE! (* Rock Music ) John Waters:
LYING WELL BELOW SEA LEVEL, IN ONE OF THE HOTTEST
AND DRIEST VALLEYS ON EARTH, SITS THE WONDERFULLY
BIZARRE SALTON SEA. IT WAS ONCE HAILED AS THE
FISHING CAPITAL OF THE WORLD AND EVEN RIVALED THE NEARBY
RESORT TOWN OF PALM SPRINGS IN POPULARITY. BUT NOW AFTER
A STRING OF CATASTROPHES, IT SITS VIRTUALLY
ABANDONED AND FORGOTTEN. ONLY A HANDFUL
OF ECCENTRICS REMAIN, CARVING OUT THEIR OWN
SLICE OF PARADISE, ON THE SHORES OF THIS SO-CALLED
"ECOLOGICAL DISASTER." BUT DISASTER IS WELL KNOWN TO
THE PEOPLE OF IMPERIAL VALLEY. IN FACT, THE SALTON SEA ITSELF
IS JUST ONE BIG MISTAKE. IN 1901, DEVELOPERS WITH A DREAM
TO TRANSFORM THE DESERT, DIVERTED WATER
FROM THE COLORADO RIVER TO A DRIED LAKE BED
NAMED THE SALTON SINK. AS AN ANCIENT OVERFLOW
FOR THE COLORADO RIVER, THE SOIL WAS NUTRIENT-RICH AND THE WARM CLIMATE MADE IT POSSIBLE
TO GROW CROPS YEAR-ROUND. RENAMED THE IMPERIAL VALLEY,
LAND WAS SOLD, AND FARMING FLOURISHED
IN THE DESERT. HOWEVER,
SILT EVENTUALLY BLOCKED THE ENTRANCE TO THE CANAL, AND WATER DELIVERY WAS
ALL BUT CUT OFF TO THE FARMERS. UNDER PRESSURE FROM
DESPERATE INVESTORS, ENGINEERS MADE SEVERAL
UNPROTECTED CUTS INTO THE RIVER. THEN IN 1905,
AMIDST HEAVY SPRING RAINS, THE ERRATIC COLORADO
BROKE FREE, CHANGED COURSE, AND HEADED STRAIGHT
FOR THE IMPERIAL VALLEY. THE RIVER THAT HAD ONCE
BROUGHT PROSPERITY, NOW BEGAN TO DESTROY
EVERYTHING IN ITS PATH, AS IT BEGAN TO COLLECT
IN THE LOWEST POINT, THE SALTON SINK. IN ORDER TO PROTECT
A VITAL SHIPPING ROUTE, SOUTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD
TYCOON, EDWARD HARRIMAN, INTERVENED WITH THE SUPPORT OF
PRESIDENT THEODORE ROOSEVELT, TO DO BATTLE WITH THE RIVER. WITH THOUSANDS OF MEN, AND COUNTLESS TONS
OF ROCK AND SAND, THE RAILROAD AND
THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT ATTEMPTED SEVERAL TIMES
TO PLUG THE BREACH. AFTER TREMENDOUS EFFORT
AND 16 MONTHS OF FLOODING, THEY FINALLY MANAGED
TO TURN BACK THE RIVER. THE DESERT HEAT
SHOULD HAVE QUICKLY EVAPORATED THIS MAN-MADE MISTAKE. HOWEVER,
SALTY IRRIGATION RUNOFF FROM FARMERS
IN THE IMPERIAL VALLEY, SUSTAINED THE NEWLY-FORMED SEA, AND INCREASED ITS SALINITY
TO NEAR OCEAN LEVELS. AN ENGINEERING SCREW-UP
HAD GIVEN BIRTH TO A SEA 35 MILES LONG
AND 15 MILES WIDE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT. (* Music ) Harold Gaston:
AND THEY THOUGHT THAT THE SALTON SEA
WOULD BE GOOD FOR FISH, IF THEY COULD GET THE RIGHT
KIND OF FISH TO GROW IN THERE. SO THEY WENT DOWN TO SAN FELIPE
AND SEEN-- FISH OUT OF THE SURF THERE. BUT THEY TRIED TO KEEP ALL
OF THE SHARKS OUT OF THERE, THEY DIDN'T WANT TO PUT
ANY SHARKS IN HERE. AND THEY BROUGHT THE FISH UP-- I MEET THEM AT SALT CREEK
UP HERE-- AND THEY PUT THE FISH IN
RIGHT THERE AT SALT CREEK. THAT WAS 1951, IN JUNE. FINALLY IN 1957, WE STARTED
CATCHING A FEW CORVINA AT SALT CREEK. WE CAUGHT
THE FIRST TWO LIMITS OF FISH THAT WERE EVER CAUGHT
IN THE SALTON SEA. WE CAUGHT 12 FISH THERE, AVERAGED
BETWEEN 8 AND 10 POUNDS. AND THAT STARTED
THE FISHING DOWN HERE. BY 1960 THERE WERE EIGHT
BOAT LANDINGS AROUND THE SEA, LAUNCHING 50 TO 100 BOATS
A DAY. THEY WERE HERE BY THE HUNDREDS,
ALL UP AND DOWN THIS HIGHWAY, AND WE FED
100 FISHERMAN A DAY HERE DURING THE SUMMERTIME,
YOU KNOW. Male Narrator:
IF YOU LIKE TO FISH, THERE ARE PLENTY
IN THE SALTON SEA. SO FAR THEY'VE BEEN
CAUGHT UP TO 33 POUNDS. THERE ARE CORVINA, TORTUAVA
AND MULLET IN ABUNDANCE. IT'S NOT ANYTHING
LIKE IT USED TO BE, IT USED TO BE BEAUTIFUL! THERE USED TO BE JUST
TRAILERS AND MOTOR HOMES AND SKIERS AND BOATERS
AND SWIMMERS...EVERYWHERE! IN THE '60s, PARTICULARLY, IT WAS REALLY A VIBRANT SEA. YOU NOT ONLY HAD SKIING,
SWIMMING AND SUCH, YOU HAD THE RICH FOLKS
COMING DOWN FROM L.A. WITH THE SPORTFISHING BOATS, PUTTING IN, I GUESS,
PROBABLY IN NORTH SHORE, AND DOING THE SPORTFISHING
ON THE WEEKENDS. ALL KINDS OF NICE LITTLE,
YOU KNOW, SECLUDED PLACES FOR THOSE WHO WANTED TO
GET AWAY FROM THE CROWD. SWIMMING AND DRINKING BEER. ( Laughs ) DRINKING BEER AND THROWING--
SKIMMING ROCKS. THE WATER WAS BRACKISH THEN,
IT ISN'T LIKE TODAY. IT WAS LESS SALTY
THAN THE OCEAN AT THAT TIME. WE USED TO HAVE FISH FRIES. SO ANYBODY THAT CAUGHT ANY
BROUGHT 'EM UP AND THE CORVINA--
AND, OH GOD, THEY WERE SO GOOD! THEY COOKED 'EM
IN A BEER BATTER. FUN! FUN! FUN! Male Narrator:
WATER MEANS FUN, AND SALTON SEA WATER IS IDEAL
FOR THE AMATEUR SKIER, SUPERB FOR THE SKILLFUL. THE REASON? THE LOW ALTITUDE
AND THE ACCOMPANYING DENSITY MAKES SALTON SEA ONE OF
THE FASTEST BODIES OF WATER ON EARTH. IN THE '50s AND '60s, THE SEA TOOK IN MORE-- HAD MORE TOURISTS
THAN YOSEMITE PARK. DOWN HERE WE HAD BOAT RACES. WE HAD EVERYTHING. WE HAD ALL KINDS OF CELEBRITIES
AT THE SALTON SEA AND BIG EVENTS. ( Glass Shatters ) WE HAD SONNY BONO. WE HAD THE MARX BROTHERS, AND THE BEACH BOYS
USED TO COME OUT HERE. THE YACHT CLUBS ON ALL SIDES
WERE DEVELOPING AND BOOMING AND BOATS WERE
IN AND OUT OF THE WATER. EVENTUALLY THIS AREA WAS LAID OUT
AS A RETIREMENT COMMUNITY. THEY BASICALLY LAID THIS OUT,
PUT IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE, AND THEN STARTED SELLING IT. Male Narrator:
OUT OF THE LABOR
AND MIND OF MAN, OUT OF THE BARREN DESERT, OUT OF THE MANY MONTHS
OF ENDEAVOR AND DARING IMAGINATION, A CITY IS BORN. AND BUSINESS SEES A FUTURE
IN SALTON CITY AND BECOMES PART OF
THE GREAT SCHEME OF THINGS. A MAJOR OIL COMPANY
BECOMES A PART, A MODERN RESTAURANT. PEOPLE CAME ON BUSES-- BUSLOADS OF PEOPLE-- TO SPEND THE DAY
AND BUY THE LOTS. FREE LITTLE TOURS
OF THE PLACE AND THEY HAD LITTLE BUSES
AND GOLF CARTS. GAVE THEM A LITTLE SPIEL
ON THE BUS AND THEN TOOK THEM
TO THE YACHT CLUB-- AND HAD A MARINA THERE-- AND HAD A NICE LUNCH
AT THE YACHT CLUB. THE YACHT CLUB
WAS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE, HAD GOOD FOOD, HAD, MOST OF THE TIME,
A VERY COMPETENT BARTENDER. HE KNEW HOW TO MAKE DRINKS, INSTEAD OF JUST
SPLASHING THEM IN, YOU KNOW. COUPLE OF GOOD DRINKS,
GOOD COMPANY, DO SOME DANCING. (* Music ) Male Narrator:
WHAT DOES MAN SEEK? WHATEVER IT IS,
IT'S HERE AT SALTON CITY. HERE IS ALL THAT
YOU AND YOUR FAMILY, YOUR CHILDREN AND YOUR
CHILDREN'S CHILDREN WILL WANT. IN SPORTS, IN RELAXATION,
IN PLEASURE, IN HEALTH, IN SECURITY. YES, AN INVESTMENT IN
A GROWING PROSPEROUS FUTURE. THIS IS THE BIRTH OF A CITY,
AN INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE. THE FUTURE IS NOW. AND YOU... YOU HAVE BEEN PRESENT
AT THE BIRTH OF A CITY. (* Music ) Brian Napier:
THE RISING SEA CAME
PRIMARILY FROM ACCUSATIONS OF EXCESSIVE AGRICULTURAL
RUNOFFS TO THE SOUTH. WHEN THE FARMERS ORDERED WATER, THEY WOULD ORDER ENOUGH
TO BE SURE THEY HAD ENOUGH, AND THEY'D CLOSE THEIR GATES
TO THEIR FARM WHEN THEY HAD ALL THEY WANTED, AND LET THE REST RUN OUT. AND IT CAME INTO THE SEA. WELL, THERE'S
CONFLICTING STORIES ABOUT HOW IT HAPPENED, WHETHER IT WAS DELIBERATE
OR NOT DELIBERATE OR WHAT. WHAT HAPPENED, I DON'T KNOW,
BUT THE WATER ROSE. AND WE WERE SMACKED
BY A PAIR OF TROPICAL STORMS, ONE IN '76, ONE IN '77, THAT DROPPED UNBELIEVABLE
AMOUNTS OF RAINWATER ON THE IMPERIAL VALLEY. IT REALLY FLOODED THE SEA, SO WE STARTED SANDBAGGING, AND THAT WASN'T DOING
MUCH GOOD EITHER. WE'D BE OUT--
IT MIGHT BE MIDNIGHT. CREWS OF US WOULD BE
OUT HERE SANDBAGGING, BECAUSE WATER
WAS COMING OVER. WE HAD A FRIEND THAT LIVED BELOW 4th STREET
IN A MOBILE HOME AND THE WATER WAS
COMING IN HER FRONT DOOR, SO SHE BROUGHT HER DOG,
AND HER CIGARETTES, AND HER BOTTLE OF BOOZE, AND CAME UP
AND WE SWEATED IT OUT. NOBODY GOT MAD OR SCARED
AND RAN AWAY OR ANYTHING. B.L.M. TOLD US TO EVACUATE. WE SAID, "HUH-UNH.
TOO MANY YEARS." IT TORE UP THE MARINA
BY THE YACHT CLUB. JUST WASHED IT OUT TO SEA
PRACTICALLY. WE PICKED UP PIECES OF IT. WHEN SOMETHING MAJOR
LIKE THAT WENT OUT, THEY WEREN'T ABOUT
THE REPLACE IT. IT WAS THE LAST VESTIGE
OF THE GOOD TIMES DOWN HERE. John Waters:
AS AN UNNATURAL BODY OF WATER, THE SEA IS LIKE
A GIANT PUDDLE AT THE BOTTOM OF
A DRAINED SWIMMING POOL. WITH NO OUTLET, THE WATER LEVEL
CAN CHANGE SUDDENLY, AND ANYTHING THE WATER
BRINGS IN, STAYS THERE. THE ONLY REASON
THIS PUDDLE DOESN'T DRY UP, IS BECAUSE OF
SALTY IRRIGATION RUNOFF FROM SURROUNDING FARMS. BUT WITH 6 FEET
OF EVAPORATION A YEAR, THIS LIFE-SUSTAINING RUNOFF, IS CONCENTRATED
INTO A SALTY SOUP. LET'S JUST SAY, IT'S NOT THE BEST SITUATION
FOR THE FISH. (* Rock Music ) Norm Niver:
WALL-TO-WALL DEAD FISH, 150 FEET OUT FROM MY DOCK AND ABOUT
A QUARTER OF A MILE LONG. DURING THE SUMMER, THE WATER IN THE SALTON SEA
IS SO WARM AND SO SALTY, THAT OXYGEN WILL HAVE
A DIFFICULT TIME DISSOLVING. SO WE HAVE THESE
LARGE DIE-OFFS OF TILAPIA JUST FOR THE SIMPLE REASON THAT THERE'S NO OXYGEN
FOR THEM TO BREATHE. GOOD-BYE, FISH!
HA, HA! Steve Horvitz:
AND THEY'LL DIE
BY THE MILLIONS. THE DECAY DOES GET
PRETTY SMELLY AT TIMES. Norm Niver:
WHEN THEY DIE,
THEY ARE FERTILIZER. THEY ARE NUTRIENTS
RETURNED TO THE SEA WATER. AND THE NUTRIENTS ARE SO HIGH
THEY CREATE ALGAE BLOOMS. CONTINUOUS CYCLE OF FISH DYING, PROVIDING NUTRITION
FOR MORE ALGAE, WHICH MEANS MORE FISH. YOU KNOW, JUST-- THERE'S JUST
TOO MANY FISH HERE. THE SALTON SEA HAS ABOUT
100 MILLION TILAPIA IN IT, WHICH IS A HUGE POPULATION. SOME PEOPLE THINK THAT IT'S THE MOST PRODUCTIVE
TILAPIA RESOURCE, MAYBE EVEN IN THE WORLD. THE POPULATION OF THE FISH
IN HERE IS STUPENDOUS, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW,
THE QUANTITY OF THE FISH-- YOU SEE 'EM DYING
ALL OVER THE PLACE AND YET YOU DON'T LOSE NONE. THEY'RE RIGHT BACK AGAIN
THE NEXT YEAR. THERE'S THOUSANDS
AND THOUSANDS OF 'EM. AND YOU SEE 'EM SOMETIMES STACKED TWO AND THREE FEET HIGH
ON THE BEACH WHEN THEY HAVE A DIE-OFF. BUT YOU GO OUT FISHING WHEN THE SEASON HITS
AND EVERYTHING AND IT'S FULL OF FISH. YEAH, SO WHAT CAN I SAY? (* Music ) BY 1980,
MOST PEOPLE HAD GIVEN UP ON ANY EXPLOSIVE GROWTH. THE BUILDING WAS LIMITED
BY THE DEMAND, WHICH THERE WASN'T
A GREAT DEAL OF. AND SEEING WHAT
REAL ESTATE VALUES WERE STARTING TO DO THEN, "WE CAN'T LOSE." WELL, YOU CAN'T WIN, EITHER.
( Laughs ) (* Music Continues ) SALTON CITY,
UNFORTUNATELY, WAS DEVELOPED AS A PLACE
TO MAKE MONEY BY BUYING A LOT. WITH THE WATER AND EVERYTHING, THIS WOULD BECOME A RESORT AREA
LIKE THE MEDITERRANEAN. AND YEARS AGO,
IT HAD SORT OF A CHANCE, BUT THE--IF IT HAD BEEN BUILT
RATHER THAN SOLD LOTS. THE PROBLEM WAS, OF COURSE, THAT THEY SOLD IT
TO PEOPLE WHO WERE GREEDY AND WANTED TO MAKE MONEY ON IT
RATHER THAN AS A PLACE TO LIVE. ( Cash Register Dings ) THIS IS THE LAST FRONTIER. IT'S THE LAST PLACE YOU CAN GO
AND GET CHEAP LAND. AND I MEAN, CHEAP! ALL THESE LITTLE TEENY SQUARES
IN HERE, ARE LOTS. THERE ARE 26,000 LOTS
IN THIS SUBDIVISION. AND EVERY LOT HAS SEWER, IT'S ON THE SEWER,
LIKE CITY SEWERAGE. CITY SEWER,
HAVE WATER IN THE STREET, AND YOU PAY FOR
A WATER METER TO HOOK UP, IF YOU ARE BUILDING,
OR PUT A MOBILE HOME ON IT. IT HAS TO BE
A DOUBLE-WIDE MOBILE HOME. AND, UM,
IT'S A FANTASTIC DEAL. YOU CAN BUY ONE
FOR $3500 CASH. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE RICH
TO OWN A PIECE OF CALIFORNIA. SEE THE LANDMAN! Male Narrator:
YOU CAN OWN A PIECE
OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FOR AS LITTLE AS
$100 DOWN, AND MONTHLY PAYMENTS LESS THAN YOU WOULD SPEND
ON YOUR ELECTRIC BILL. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE RICH,
THE LANDMAN HAS THE ANSWER! WHEN I FIRST CAME HERE,
I SAW THIS OPPORTUNITY-- FIRST I SAW THE VIEW
AND SAID, "WOW! THERE IT IS!
UNIQUE, THIS THING." THE NEXT THING
THAT CAME TO MY MIND, "DOLLARS, DOLLARS, DOLLARS! MAN, I GOT TO COME HERE
AND MAKE A FORTUNE!" HASTA MI BEBITA SABE
UN BUEN NEGOCIO CUANDO LO VEA. SEE THE LANDMAN! YOU KNOW, PEOPLE
IN THE LAND BUSINESS, THEY TALK ABOUT
THE SALTON SEA. IT'S A LEGEND. IT'S A LEGEND OF FAILURE, OF
HORRIBLE THINGS THAT HAPPENED. AND I CAME HERE
AND I SAW EVERYTHING. I SAW THE VIEW,
I SAW THE SEA, I SAW EVERYTHING
THAT WAS HAPPENING, AND I THOUGHT IT WAS
A HUMONGOUS OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE PEOPLE'S
PERCEPTION OF THE SEA. (* Music ) EVEN IF YOU DON'T
WANT TO BUILD RIGHT NOW, IT'S GOING TO
ACCELERATE IN VALUE, IT HAS TO. AND WHEN IT HAPPENS,
I DON'T KNOW, BUT IT WILL HAPPEN. YOU HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE WAITING
FOR THINGS TO HAPPEN, AND THEY ALL FEEL LIKE
IT'S JUST AROUND THE CORNER. AND THEY HAVE PROBABLY
BEEN FEELING LIKE IT'S JUST AROUND THE CORNER
FOR 10 OR 15 YEARS. I-I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT
THE SEA WOULD GROW, WOULD DO SOMETHING. IT'S TAKEN LONGER
THAN I THOUGHT, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, IF PROPERTY COMES UP FOR SALE
AND THE PRICE IS RIGHT, I BUY IT. I HAVEN'T OVERPAID
FOR ANY OF IT, BUT--IT'S AN INVESTMENT. PEOPLE ARE BUYING
AND LIKE TO SPECULATE, YOU KNOW. IF THEY PLAY THE LOTTERY, THEY SHOULD AT LEAST GET
A $400 LOT OUT HERE SOMEPLACE. ( Laughs ) BUT THERE'S STILL A LOT OF LOTS
OUT HERE FOR SALE. (* Music ) THE MATERIAL IS HERE,
BUT IT TAKES A LOT OF WORK. BUT I THINK IT'LL BE WORTH IT
IN THE END. I'M JUST SORRY THAT I WON'T BE
HERE TO SEE IT, PROBABLY. MY LIFE EXPECTANCY IS,
I GUESS, AROUND 11 YEARS, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, AND I DON'T EXPECT
TO SEE MIRACLES IN THAT TIME. (* Blues Music ) John Waters:
WHILE MANY CONTINUE
TO WAIT FOR THE DREAM, ACROSS THE SEA
IN THE WORKING-CLASS HAVEN OF BOMBAY BEACH, PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY
FOUND PARADISE. BUT HALF-FLOODED, WITH NO GAS STATION,
ONE TINY STORE, TWO DELIGHTFUL BARS, AND AN OBSESSION
WITH GOLF CARTS, THIS DUSTY LITTLE TOWN
ISN'T EVERYONE'S IDEA OF WHAT THE DREAM
WAS SUPPOSED TO BECOME. THIS WHOLE AREA DOWN HERE
BELOW THE DIKE WAS FLOODED OUT. RIGHT OVER THERE,
WHAT'S LEFT OF THE BUILDING IS WHAT USED TO BE
THE "LUCK OF THE IRISH." AND OVER THERE,
WHERE IT'S FENCED, THERE USED TO BE A BEER BAR
CALLED "THE WATERFRONT" AND A FISHING PIER. BUT IT'S ALL GONE. (* Blues Music ) THE OLD PEOPLE, THEY STAY IN THEIR HOUSE
DURING THE DAYTIME AND THEY COME OUT AT NIGHT. MOST OF 'EM DO ANYWAY. GUY SHOT HISSELF IN THE HEAD
RIGHT THERE. THERE'S ONE DOWN THE STREET
WHERE A GUY HUNG HISSELF. AND THIS ONE
ON THE CORNER RIGHT THERE, HE DIED TRYING TO TAKE A POOP
RIGHT THERE IN HIS HOUSE. COUPLE OF STROKES
AND OLD AGE THINGS... BRAIN TUMOR AND ARTERY BYPASS,
YOU KNOW, JUST... IN MY HOUSE,
A PERSON DIED OVER THERE. IN THIS ONE, TOO,
MY BEST FRIEND'S, DIED-- THAT'S OVER THERE,
YOU KNOW. A LOT OF PEOPLE
HAVE DIED OUT HERE. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S
FROM OLD AGE OR, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF,
YOU KNOW, THE CONDITIONS, OR WHAT. I HAD A LITTLE PROBLEM WHEN WE
WERE WORKING AT DESERT HOSPITAL, A LITTLE CANCER PROBLEM. AND I SAID, "THAT'S IT. I'M NOT WORKING ANYMORE." YOU KNOW, WHO KNOWS,
MAYBE TOMORROW, MAYBE-- AND THAT'S BEEN 20 YEARS AGO. SO I BLAME MY GOOD HEALTH
ON THE SALTON SEA. ( Laughs ) (* Blues Continue ) WE HAVE LOTS OF YARD SALES. THAT LADY'S HUSBAND DIED
AND SHE'S MOVING SO... THEN WE WORRY ABOUT THINGS
LIKE THIS, BECAUSE OF THE KIDS. THEY GET IN
AND SMOKE THE GRASS AND-- YOU KNOW,
SOME OF THE BLACK KIDS ARE JUST DELIGHTFUL. BUT THERE'S A GROUP
THAT ARE...IN TROUBLE. LOOK AT THAT RIDICULOUS
WINDMILL HOUSE! PEOPLE COME IN FROM L.A.
THAT CAUSE A LOT OF PROBLEMS, ROBBING HOUSES, AND, YOU KNOW, SELLING DRUGS
AND STUFF LIKE THAT. THERE'S MORE WELFARE PEOPLE
HERE NOW. THE RENT'S CHEAPER HERE, SO... THE COUNTY SENDS 'EM OUT HERE. WHEN THE YOUNG KIDS
COME IN HERE, THEY DON'T DO NOTHING
BUT RAISE HELL. ( Glass Shattering ) AND I TELL THEM,
"I'M GONNA CALL A COP ON YA." "WHAT'S A COP GONNA DO? MAYBE BRING ME A LOLLIPOP?" YEAH, HA, HA. THEY CAN'T DO NOTHING, NAH-UH. AND THEIR PARENTS,
THEY DON'T TEACH 'EM NOTHING. ( Excited Chatter ) I DON'T KNOW,
I LIVED OUT HERE SO LONG TO WHERE I'M JUST
KINDA USED TO IT. IT'S KINDA BORING OUT HERE,
BUT IT'S COOL. Lechon Rainey:
IT'S AWAY FROM THE CITY. YOU AIN'T GOT TO WORRY
ABOUT GANG-BANGING, YOU AIN'T GOT TO WORRY ABOUT
NONE OF THAT STUFF OUT HERE. ONLY ONE PROBLEM WE HAVE IS THEY NEED TO CLEAN UP
THAT OUT THERE SO EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW,
HAVE SOMETHING TO DO, BESIDES FISHING. YOU KNOW, NOBODY WANT TO EAT
THAT STUFF OUT OF THERE. AND, YOU KNOW, OUT HERE
IT AIN'T, I DON'T KNOW-- SEE ALL THESE KIDS OUT HERE? WE NEED SOMETHING
FOR THE KIDS. AS YOU CAN SEE,
WE ONLY GOT ONE LITTLE PARK, AND THAT'S REALLY ABOUT IT. MY MOM, MY BIOLOGICAL MOM, GOT SHOT AND KILLED
BY HER BOYFRIEND, AND MY MOM'S SISTER
TOOK CARE OF US. AND EL CENTRO
WAS TOO ROUGH FOR US, SO SHE MOVED US OUT HERE. WHEN SHE MOVED US OUT HERE, YOU KNOW, HEY,
THINGS HAPPEN, I GOT PREGNANT. I CHOOSE TO RAISE MY SON
OUT HERE. I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE HIM
TO EL CENTRO AND RAISE HIM, I AM GOING TO RAISE HIM
RIGHT HERE ON BOMBAY BEACH. THERE AIN'T NOTHING
OUT HERE, NO VIOLENCE,
NONE OF THAT. YOU KNOW WHAT I AM SAYING? IT'S A RETIRING PLACE,
IT'S FOR OLD PEOPLE. IF YOU RAISE 'EM UP
IN THE CITY, THEY'LL BE EITHER GANG-BANGING,
SHOOTING EACH OTHER. I MEAN, HATRED. I MEAN, THAT'S IF
YOU RAISE THEM UP IN THE CITY, BUT IF YOU RAISE THEM UP
IN BOMBAY BEACH, YOUR KIDS WON'T BE
GROWING UP LIKE THAT. IN THE CITY,
HE'LL GET SHOT AND KILLED IN LESS THAN 48 HOURS. UP HERE, HE'LL HAVE
A BETTER CHANCE OF LIVIN'. ( Excited Chatter ) EVERYBODY GETS WEED AROUND HER, BUT WHEN THEY ASK ME FOR SOME, OR FLAUBERT OR ANYBODY, THEY SAY NO. 'CAUSE WE KNOW OUR RESPECTS,
WE KNOW. BOMBAY BEACH TREAT ME GOOD! THEY GOT ALL THE 40s
AND ALL THE WEED! GOD DIED FOR OUR SINS! SO I'M NOT GOING TO FOOL GOD
LIKE THAT AND JUST KEEP ON DOING STUFF,
LIKE DRUGS AND STUFF. I AIN'T GONNA DO THAT. Flaubert:
I AIN'T DOIN' THAT. ANYBODY ASK ME FOR DRUGS,
MAN...HECK NO! I AIN'T WITH THAT DOPE BOY! Jeff Springer:
HOW ABOUT SOCCER, YOU GUYS? SOCCER! OH YEAH!
THAT'S MY STUFF! THAT'S MY SPORT!
THAT'S MY SPORT! BASKETBALL, FOOTBALL,
BASEBALL; ALL THAT STUFF! VOLLEYBALL! John Waters:
FORGOTTEN AND FLOODED, BOMBAY BEACH
IS THE PERFECT REFUGE FROM THE OUTSIDE WORLD. BUT WHEN YOU LIVE
IN A TRAILER PARK ON THE EDGE
OF AN ECOLOGICAL TIME BOMB, YOU GOTTA HAVE SOME FUN,
AND DRINK PLENTY OF BEER. Lechon:
EVERYBODY, WATCH HUNKY DADDY. Olivia Benitez:
THIS IS HUNKY DADDY, OUR FAVORITE GUY IN THE TOWN! THIS IS MY GUY! Olivia:
AND THIS IS THEIR OTHER DOG! THIS IS A BABY BOY. THAT OVER THERE'S THE GIRL-- SHE HAD BABIES,
AND SHE IS PRETTY, TOO. I LIKE HER. THEY ARE VERY FRIENDLY. LES, HE'S ONE OF A KIND,
THAT'S FOR SURE. THAT'S EMBARRASSING! Olivia:
BYE, HUNKY DADDY! THAT'S MY GUY
RIGHT HERE! WHOO! HE'S, UH... ( Laughs )
WHAT CAN I SAY ABOUT HIM? HE'S NUTS!
( Laughs ) HE'S, UH...HE'S WILD! HE'S A WILD CHILD! HE LOVES WOMEN, ALL WOMEN, I DON'T CARE WHAT THEY ARE,
BLACK, WHITE, YELLOW, GREEN. HE LOVES 'EM ALL! THERE'S A LOT OF HUNGARIANS
IN BOMBAY, THEY SEEM TO LIKE THE-- WELL, ALL HUNGARIANS
LIKE TO PARTY, I MUST SAY. SOME PEOPLE CALL THEM
HUNGARIANS, BUT YA PAY ATTENTION
TO THEIR LANGUAGE AND I'LL BET YA
THEY'RE SPEAKIN' RUSSIAN. YOU KNOW,
MY DAD MOVED THERE, AND THEN ZOLI BOTCHY
MOVED THERE, AND LOUIE MOVED THERE, AND YOSHKA JOE,
HE MOVED THERE-- THEY'RE ALL DEAD,
ALL OF THEM DIED. AND THEN THERE WAS LES,
AND SEGON AND... YEAH, THERE'S A BUNCH OF 'EM. THERE'S ONE THERE,
THERE'S ONE THERE. THERE WAS ONE OVER,
ACROSS THE STREET THERE. THERE ARE KIDS LIKE ME,
LANKA AND ANIKO AND-- GOD, THERE'S A LOT
OF HUNGARIANS, I'M TELLING YA! Male Narrator:
ALMOST WITH BARE HANDS, PATRIOTS
JOINED BY THE HUNGARIAN ARMY ROSE SPONTANEOUSLY AND MADE A SHAMBLES
OF THE MIGHTY RUSSIAN TANKS. FOR 10 DAYS THEY SENT
THE RED MIGHT REELING. Male Narrator:
BUT RETRIBUTION WAS SWIFT
AND CRUSHING. TWENTY NEW DIVISIONS OF TANKS
MOVED IN. THIS TIME, SHAKEN KREMLIN LEADERS
TOOK NO CHANCES AND REBELLION
TURNED TO SLAUGHTER IN THE UNEQUAL STRUGGLE. ( Explosions ) YEAH, HE WAS
A FREEDOM FIGHTER. I NEVER SAW ANY PICTURES
OF HIM IN UNIFORM, YOU KNOW,
I KNOW HE WAS IN THE WAR, BUT I NEVER SAW
ANY PICTURES OF HIM IN UNIFORM. SO I GUESS THAT HE SAVED PEOPLE'S LIVES
UNDERGROUND OR WHATEVER, AND THEN HE CAME TO AMERICA AND HE LOVED THIS...
DESOLATE DESERT. (* Music ) IT'S HURT ALL THE BUSINESS
AROUND THE VALLEY HERE. ALL THE BOAT LANDINGS
HAVE CLOSED 'CAUSE
THERE WASN'T ANY BUSINESS. YOU KNOW WHAT?
IF THEY'D DO THE SALTON SEA, EVERYTHING'LL BE
SO MUCH BETTER. AND PROPERTY TAXES WILL GO UP. AND THERE'S JUST-- LOOK IT, WE'RE OUT
IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS DESERT, WHERE IT GETS 120, WITH THIS HUGE BODY OF WATER
THAT WE CAN'T EVEN USE! IT'S ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS;
IT MAKES ME SICK. EVERYTHING'S BUILT UP
IN BIG CITIES NOW. IT HAS TO GO SOMEWHERE. IT HAS TO COME THIS WAY. WHERE ELSE CAN THEY GO? THIS'LL BE A WINTER RESORT
DOWN HERE BEFORE TOO MANY YEARS I THINK. IT USED TO BE
A NICE LITTLE TOWN. BUT NOW THEY'RE TRYING
TO MAKE SOMETHING OUT OF IT, BUT THEY NEVER WILL. AND YOU CAN'T TAKE NOTHING, AND MAKE ANYTHING
OUT OF NOTHING. John Waters:
ONCE A STATION FOR THOUSANDS
OF VACATIONING FISHERMAN COMING TO THE SALTON SEA, NILAND NOW BARELY HANGS ON. ITS ONLY SALVATION
LIES IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF A VERY DIFFERENT KIND
OF TOURIST ATTRACTION. LEONARD KNIGHT CAME HERE
ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO AND STARTED BUILDING
THAT MOUNTAIN. HE'S WORKING ON IT
EVER SINCE, EVERY DAY. HE COMES IN HERE
EVERY MORNING EARLY, STAYS AN HOUR OR SO
AND HAS COFFEE WITH US. HE'S A GOOD MAN. HE'S RELIGIOUS,
BUT HE DOESN'T PUSH IT ON YOU. YOU CAN BE AS RELIGIOUS
AS YOU WANT TO, AS LONG AS YOU DON'T TRY
TO PUSH HIM INTO YOUR RELIGION. ( Laughs ) (* Music ) Leonard Knight:
I JUST BELIEVE THAT GOD
REALLY BUILT THIS MOUNTAIN, I DIDN'T. I'M NOT REALLY CAPABLE OF--
ESPECIALLY BEING AN ARTIST-- I'M JUST NOT CAPABLE
OF DOING ANYTHING, BUT GOD ALMIGHTY
CAN DO ANYTHING. AND IF I'VE TALKED
TO GOD A LOT, AND I KEEP SAYING
ALMOST EVERY MORNING, "GOD, USE ME IF YOU CAN. I WANT TO WORK FOR YOU, GOD." AND LOOK AT THE MOUNTAIN, IT'S GOING BETTER THAN
10 CHURCHES ALL PUT TOGETHER SOMETIMES. YOU KNOW,
WHEN IT COMES TO PAINT-- I JUST LOVE PAINT--OLD PAINT,
NEW PAINT, PRETTY PAINT. AND I LIKE LATEX AT FIRST. IF I GET A PRETTY COLOR
OF OIL HIGH-GLOSS PAINT, I KEEP IT FOR THE FLOWERS. SO, NO MATTER WHAT COMES IN,
I'M EXCITED ABOUT IT. HA! PEOPLE JUST BRING ME
THEIR PAINT. AND I LIKE TO GIVE POSTCARDS
TO PEOPLE, SO IT'S A "GIVE ME" MOUNTAIN. NO EDUCATION FROM MAN
WHATSOEVER. SO, IF THERE IS ANY PART
OF THIS MOUNTAIN, IT'S NOT--I DIDN'T READ IT
IN A BOOK, OR I DIDN'T PUSH
AN INTERNET PUSH BUTTON. AND NOW PEOPLE REALLY THINK
I'M AN ARTIST. I HOPE I AM NOT A COUNTERFEIT.
( Laughs ) YOU LEARN BY MISTAKES MAINLY. YOU MAKE A MISTAKE,
AND YOU KINDA HAVE FUN DOING IT, BUT THEN YOU LOOK BACK
AND SAY, "HEY, THERE MUST BE
A BETTER WAY." I MADE ONE MISTAKE
THAT TOOK ME FOUR YEARS-- AND THE WHOLE MOUNTAIN
FELL ON ME. SO I DON'T WANT TO MAKE
MISTAKES THAT BIG ANYMORE. AT FIRST
I DIDN'T BUILD IT RIGHT. AND I WENT TO THE DUMP, AND THEN I'D GET
A REFRIGERATOR, TRUCK TIRES, AND I'D FILL 'EM WITH SAND AND PUT 'EM IN HERE
AND PUT SOME CEMENT WITH IT. AND IN 1991,
THE WHOLE MOUNTAIN FELL DOWN. I PROBABLY HAD 200 OR 300 TONS
OF ADOBE UP HERE. AND IT WAS ABOUT THAT TIME,
I LOOKED UP AND I SAYS, "GOD, YOU BUILD THE MOUNTAIN,
JUST DON'T LET LEONARD BUILD IT. GOD, YOU DO IT." AND, BOY, EVER SINCE THEN-- I JUST STARTED DIGGING
IN THIS MOUNTAIN, AND I'VE BEEN TOTALLY HAPPY
EVER SINCE. THE SALTON SEA
NEEDS TOURISM AND MONEY. WE NEED PEOPLE TO COME IN
AND FILL UP THE RESTAURANTS AND PUT THEIR WAITRESSES
TO WORK. AND I HOPE THAT,
IN YEARS TO COME, THIS THING WILL TURN
INTO A TOURIST ATTRACTION, AND BRING MILLIONS AND MILLIONS
OF DOLLARS INTO CALIFORNIA. Clark Bloom:
THE SALTON SEA REFUGE,
IN PARTICULAR, WAS SET UP
AS A WATERFOWL WINTERING AREA, THAT WAS OUR MAIN GOAL,
BUT THINGS HAVE CHANGED A LOT. ( White Noise ) (* Foreboding Music ) Male Newscaster 1:
ON MONDAY,
BIOLOGISTS DISCOVERED 58 DEAD BIRDS
AT THE SALTON SEA, AND RESCUED 10 BROWN PELICANS. Male Newscaster 2:
A MYSTERIOUS OUTBREAK
OF AVIAN BOTULISM, A DEADLY ILLNESS FROM BACTERIA
USUALLY FOUND IN MAGGOTS. Clark Bloom:
WATER TEMPERATURES REMAIN HIGH, EVERYTHING IS IDEAL
FOR BOTULISM, AND IT USUALLY DOES ITS THING. Male Newscaster 3:
FOR THE PAST THREE WEEKS, EXPERTS AND VOLUNTEERS
HAVE BEEN RESCUING AS MANY BIRDS AS POSSIBLE, INCLUDING THE RARE
CALIFORNIA BROWN PELICAN. I GUESS I COULD
BEST DESCRIBE '96-- YOU HAD BIRDS
GETTING SICK AND DYING LITERALLY BY THE HUNDREDS
ON A DAILY BASIS. THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN
AN INDICATION THAT THE SEA
WAS NOT DOING WELL, THAT THERE WAS,
ECOLOGICALLY, A PROBLEM. THE NUMBER OF DEAD BIRDS
BUILT UP TO THE POINT WHERE-- AT THAT TIME, WE ONLY HAD
THE ONE INCINERATOR, WHICH IS THE SMALLER ONE, IT COULD NOT EVEN BEGIN
TO TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM, IT RAN 24 HOURS A DAY,
NONSTOP. ( Fire Crackling ) IT'S DEPRESSING,
IT'S VERY DEPRESSING, MAINLY BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT THERE'S NOTHING
THAT YOU CAN DO, OTHER THAN TRY
TO CLEAN THE MESS UP, TO MAKE IT STOP. WHEN YOU HAVE REALLY HOT DAYS WITH A VERY HIGH
SALINITY LEVEL, IT SETS THE TABLE
FOR BOTULISM TO GO CRAZY. THE TILAPIA PICK UP BOTULISM
AND CARRY IT IN THEIR BODY. THE FISH BECOME TOXIC
TO THE PELICANS, AND THEY GET BOTULISM AND DIE. BOTULISM SPREADS
THROUGH CONTAMINATION OF OTHER BIRDS. WHEN A DEAD BIRD
THAT HAS BOTULISM BEGINS TO DECOMPOSE, OF COURSE,
IT FILLS UP WITH MAGGOTS. THE MAGGOTS PICK UP
THE BOTULISM TOXIN, AND IT DOES NOT AFFECT THEM. SO EACH MAGGOT
THAT CRAWLS AROUND, PRESENTS THE POSSIBILITY
OF ANOTHER DEAD OR SICK BIRD. IT SPREADS QUITE FAST IF YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING
TO TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM. CLEANING UP THE AREA IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO. YEAR-ROUND WE WILL GO OUT,
ONCE A WEEK OR SO, AND COVER ONE PARTICULAR AREA
OF THE SEA OR ANOTHER, AND ONCE WE START
PICKING UP PELICANS, USUALLY OUT OF
THE SOUTH END HERE AROUND THE ALAMO RIVER
OR THE NEW RIVER, THEN WE'LL STEP UP PATROLS, TO EVENTUALLY
TO 7 DAYS A WEEK. SO WE'LL GO OUT THERE, WE'LL PICK UP THE BIRDS
OFF OF THE SHORE THAT ARE DEAD. WE'LL ALSO PICK UP
AS MANY LIVE BIRDS AS WE CAN, TREATING THEM ON-SITE
AT OUR REHAB HOSPITAL. IT WAS KIND OF DIFFICULT
AT FIRST, PICKING UP ALL THOSE PELICANS, AND KNOWING THAT THEY'RE SICK
AND POSSIBLY COULD DIE, BUT NOW KNOWING
THAT 7 OUT OF EVERY 10 ARE GOING TO MAKE IT, YOU KNOW, IT KIND OF GIVES YOU
A GOOD FEELING. THERE IS JUST
A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF BIRDS THAT COME THROUGH THIS AREA, SIMPLY BECAUSE
OF ITS GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION, PLUS THE MILD WINTERS. AND YOU ALSO HAVE TO REMEMBER
THAT MOST OF THE-- CALIFORNIA'S WETLANDS
HAVE BEEN LOST FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER AND THIS IS ONE OF THE FEW
REMAINING WETLANDS THERE ARE. WE STILL HAVE DISEASE PROBLEMS
IN THE SUMMERTIME, WE HAVE HAD
EVERY SUMMER SINCE '96. I MEAN, IT'S, AGAIN,
PROBABLY NOT GOING TO GO AWAY. BUT BECAUSE OF OUR EXPERIENCE AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE
THAT WE NOW HAVE, THESE PROBLEMS
AREN'T REALLY BAD. WE ARE ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH IT, AND ACTUALLY
STAY AHEAD OF THE GAME. (* Acoustic Guitar ) THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PLANS TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS
WITH THE SALTON SEA. AND THERE ARE DOZENS
AND DOZENS OF PLANS TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS
WITH THE SALTON SEA, AND PERHAPS
THAT'S A PROBLEM IN ITSELF. IN MY MIND IT'S A CANAL,
OR IT'S A PIPELINE, A WATER MOVEMENT: TAKE WATER OUT,
PUT WATER BACK IN. THERE ARE OTHER APPROACHES TO LOOK AT PONDING PORTIONS
OF THE SALTON SEA; TO DRAW THE SALT OUT; TO USE ENHANCED
EVAPORATIVE SYSTEMS CURRENTLY
USED IN ISRAEL. IT'S AN AGE-OLD PROBLEM, IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR 30 YEARS. BUT IT'S COME TO THE POINT WHERE I REALLY DON'T THINK
THAT WE HAVE ANOTHER 30 YEARS. WE NEED TO SOLVE IT NOW. John Waters:
SCIENTISTS KNEW
HOW TO SAVE THE SEA, BUT THEY LACKED
THE ATTENTION AND FUNDS TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. WHAT THEY NEEDED WAS A HERO, WHAT THEY GOT,
WAS A ROCK STAR! * WITHOUT LOVE,
WHERE WOULD YOU BE NOW? * * NOW, NOW, NOW... John Waters:
SONNY BONO--
MUSICIAN, RESTAURATEUR, PALM SPRINGS MAYOR,
AND EX-HUSBAND OF CHER-- WAS ELECTED TO CONGRESS, AND THE SALTON SEA
FOUND ITS CHAMPION. I MAY HAVE TO WEAR
THAT "SONNY AND CHER" THING FOR A WHILE, BUT I'LL OVERCOME THAT. I JUST NEED TO TALK TO PEOPLE
AND I'LL OVERCOME THAT. SONNY BONO WAS ABLE
TO DEVELOP AND GENERATE A LOT OF INTEREST
IN THE SALTON SEA WITH HIS PEERS IN CONGRESS AND I THINK HE'S THE ONE
THAT REALLY BROUGHT ATTENTION TO THE PROBLEMS
OF THE SALTON SEA TO CONGRESS,
TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. Sonny Bono:
IT'S THE FIRST TIME
I'VE SEEN THIS KIND OF ENERGY GO INTO A PROJECT
THAT IS DEARLY NEEDED TO PREVENT
AN ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER. Clark Bloom:
SONNY WAS A REBORN
ENVIRONMENTALIST. HE DID HAVE QUITE AN INTEREST
IN WILDLIFE, AND WANTED TO SEE
SOMETHING DONE. YOU COULD NOT ONLY AVOID
THIS DISASTER, BUT YOU COULD ALSO CREATE
A RECREATIONAL MECCA. I THINK SONNY WAS GOOD
FOR THE SEA. UNFORTUNATELY,
HE WENT SKIING. HE HAD INTRODUCED
SOME LEGISLATION INTO CONGRESS JUST BEFORE HE DIED. AND, UNFORTUNATELY-- I MEAN, THAT IS A TERRIBLE WAY
TO HAVE TO GET SOMETHING PASSED IS TO HAVE SOMEBODY GET KILLED
IN AN ACCIDENT, BUT I THINK THAT WAS PROBABLY
THE SPARK THAT GOT CONGRESS TO GO AHEAD AND COME FORWARD
WITH SOME FUNDING. AS SONNY SAID,
"THE BEAT GOES ON," AND ALL OF HIS FRIENDS
IN CONGRESS HAVE PICKED UP THE BALL
THAT HE WAS CARRYING AND I THINK WE'LL TAKE IT
ACROSS THE GOAL LINE. Female Newscaster:
REFERENCES WERE MADE ALL DAY TO KEEPING
SONNY BONO'S LEGACY ALIVE, AS FEDERAL, STATE
AND LOCAL LEADERS DISCUSSED WAYS TO SAVE
THE AILING SEA. THIS IS A GREAT NATURAL RESOURCE TO BE MANAGED AND NURTURED
AND RECLAIMED, AND WE WILL BE INTRODUCING,
WITH MARY'S PERMISSION, ON SONNY'S BIRTHDAY, THE SONNY BONO
SALTON SEA RESTORATION PROJECT. ( Applause ) WE WANT TO KEEP THE AREA
FOR THE THINGS LIKE SONNY BONO WANTED, LIKE BOATING AND FISHING
AND WATER-SKIING. AND WE WANT TO HELP
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THE SPORTS FISHERY; AND THEN THE FINAL ONE IS WE WANT TO HELP
THE MIGRATORY BIRD HABITAT. WE HAVE A LOT OF GROUPS
THAT ARE WORKING WITH US, THAT ARE INTERESTED
IN SAVING THE SEA. WE HAVE ALL THE WAY FROM
IRRIGATORS AND DEVELOPERS AND CITIES, ALL THE WAY
TO ENVIRONMENTALISTS. SO WE'VE GOT A NICE GROUP
OF A LOT OF PEOPLE. AND THAT'S NICE,
THAT'S FUN TO DO THAT, BECAUSE MAYBE WE CAN
ALL COME UP WITH AN ANSWER. THAT'S WHAT WE HOPE.
THAT'S WHAT WE HOPE. (* Music ) John Waters:
WITH THE CREATION OF THE SALTON SEA
RESTORATION ACT IN 1998, THE PEOPLE AROUND THE SEA
WERE ALL DOLLED UP AND READY FOR THE POOL PARTY
TO BEGIN. BUT WITH THE PASSING YEARS
AND CONTINUED DELAYS, THEIR VISIONS
OF A HAPPY, BRIGHT FUTURE HAD BEGUN TO FADE. IT NOW SEEMS
EVEN THE BONO BOOM HAS GONE BUST. (* Electric Guitar ) EVERYONE WAS GOING TO SAVE
THE SALTON SEA. WHEN THE HYPE ENDED,
SONNY'S BURIED, A PARK--A RESERVE
WAS NAMED AFTER HIM, HALF A FREEWAY SOMEWHERE, ALL THOSE PEOPLE LEFT. WE'RE BACK TO SQUARE ONE
BASICALLY. JUST A LITTLE MORE IMPULSE, BUT WE'RE BASICALLY
BACK TO THE SAME PROBLEM. WE ALL FELT LIKE, ONCE THE SALTON SEA AUTHORITY
WAS CREATED, THIS WOULD THE BEST,
PROBABLY FINAL EFFORT, AND THEY'VE DONE
A BEAUTIFUL JOB. I DON'T KNOCK
THE SALTON SEA AUTHORITY AT ALL. THEY'VE JUST BEEN GIVEN
THEIR CRITERIA AND THEIR PARAMETERS AND BEEN TOLD WHAT TO DO
BY CONGRESS, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT THE
POLITICAL PRESSURE AGAINST IT. WHATEVER THEY TRY TO DO,
IT'S JUST UP A ONE-WAY STREET. I THINK IT BETTER CHANGE, OTHERWISE THERE AIN'T GONNA BE
NO FUTURE, AT LEAST NOT HERE. THIS PLACE HERE IS GOING. THE WATER'S RECEDING
RATHER RAPIDLY. LAST YEAR,
THOSE ROCKS RIGHT THERE, WERE UNDERWATER. THE FISHING
IS NOT WHAT IS USED TO BE. THE PARTYING
IS NOT WHAT IS USED TO BE. AND PEOPLE ARE,
YOU KNOW WHAT, THEY SELL OUT
AND GET OUT. THEY DON'T COME BACK. THIS IS DARN-NEAR
A GHOST TOWN. THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE,
WHO LIKE ME, CAN'T AFFORD TO MOVE IN THE SENSE THAT, "WHAT I COULD GET
OUT OF THIS HOUSE, WOULDN'T BUY
ANYTHING ANYPLACE ELSE." SO, PEOPLE HAVE SETTLED IN, AND A LOT OF THEM
HAVE COME HERE TO DIE. THE WATER THAT COMES
INTO THE SALTON SEA, IN GREAT PART,
COMES FROM AGRICULTURE. SO THIS WATER COMES
FROM THE COLORADO RIVER, IS USED ON OUR CROPS, AND EVENTUALLY FINDS ITS WAY
INTO THE SALTON SEA. THAT WATER IS ATTRACTIVE. MANY PEOPLE ARE SAYING, "WELL, LET'S RECYCLE THAT WATER
THAT GOES INTO THE SALTON SEA, AND USE IT
FOR SOMETHING ELSE." SOME PEOPLE
IN THE WATER DISTRICTS HAVE FLAT OUT SAID--
IN THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER-- SAY THAT IT'S A WASTE OF WATER TO LET IT FLOW
INTO THE SALTON SEA." SAN DIEGO
AND THE IMPERIAL VALLEY ARE WORKING
ON A WATER TRANSFER AGREEMENT. IF APPROVED, SAN DIEGO COUNTY
WOULD BUY COLORADO RIVER WATER FROM THE IMPERIAL
IRRIGATION DISTRICT. THE COUNTY WILL RECEIVE UP TO 200,000 ACRE FEET
OF WATER EVERY YEAR, FOR AT LEAST
THE NEXT 40 YEARS. WE'RE IN THE BEST
POSSIBLE POSITION IN TERMS OF THIS BEING
A GOOD DEAL FOR SAN DIEGO NOT ONLY TODAY, BUT 10 AND 20 AND 30 YEARS
FROM NOW. I'M GETTING CYNICAL
AND I'M GETTING VOCAL AND I'M TELLING PEOPLE,
"THEY'RE STEALING IT! LIKE WAKE UP! WAKE UP!" THEY HAVE ABSOLUTELY CUT OFF
EVERY SOURCE OF WATER THAT WILL MAINTAIN THIS. WE'RE DOWN
TO ANNUAL RAINFALL. IT IS AN IDEAL, PERFECT SEWER. PUT IT IN THAT PERSPECTIVE,
USE IT THAT WAY, AND THEN,
THE WHOLE WORLD IS HAPPY. GO IN THERE,
KILL ALL THE CRUMMY FISH OFF, TELL PEOPLE TO QUIT SWIMMING
IN IT. IF YOU KILL ALL THE FISH OFF,
THE BIRDS WILL GO AWAY. WELL, THEN THE BIRDS
AREN'T DYING ANYMORE, SO THE BIRD LOVERS
ARE HAPPY. THE BIRDS--THEY'LL JUST GO
SOMEPLACE ELSE. THE PROBLEM IS, IS THAT WE HAVE,
IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, CONSUMED 90% OF OUR WETLANDS IN THE TIME THAT
THE SALTON SEA HAS EXISTED, SO THE SALTON SEA
HAS COME TO BE A REPLACEMENT
FOR THE WETLANDS FOR THESE BIRDS. SO NOW,
AS THE SEA BECOMES SALTIER, AND THE FISH WILL NO LONGER
BE ABLE TO SURVIVE, THE FISH-EATING BIRDS
THAT COME HERE, WELL, THEY'LL HAVE TO GO
SOMEWHERE ELSE. THE QUESTION IS,
WHERE ARE THEY GOING TO GO? THEY CAN'T GO TO L.A.,
BECAUSE WE'RE THERE. THEY CAN'T GO TO ORANGE COUNTY
BECAUSE WE'RE THERE. SAN DIEGO, WE'RE THERE. THE COLORADO RIVER,
WE'RE THERE. Norm Niver:
PEOPLE SAY, "WHY SHOULD WE CARE
IF THE SALTON SEA'S SAVED?" AND I SAY, "WELL,
YOU'RE REALLY GONNA CARE "WHEN ABOUT 7 MILES
OF THE NORTH END IS EXPOSED "AND THERE'S A LOT
OF DRY BOTTOM THERE, "AND YOU GET A DOGGONE ALKALINE
DUST STORM COME DOWN "AND SHUT THE WHOLE VALLEY
DOWN IN A CLOUD OF ALKALINE DUST." WE'VE WARNED THEM AND STUFF. NO ONE CARES. THE STORMS
THAT RUN THROUGH HERE-- WE'VE HAD AS HIGH AS 75 MILE
AN HOUR WINDS NOTED HERE-- RAISE DUST LIKE THEY DO
UP IN THE OWENS LAKE, NORTH OF LOS ANGELES, WHICH THE METROPOLITAN
DISTRICT OF LOS ANGELES CREATED BY THEIR BANKRUPTING
THE OWENS LAKE FOR WATER. THE SAME WILL HAPPEN
TO THE SEA IF IT DRIES UP. SAN DIEGO ONLY GIVE US
$9 MILLION TOWARD MITIGATION TO FIX ALL THAT? I DON'T KNOW. NOW THESE PEOPLE
THAT HAVE THE NICE HOMES IN INDIAN WELLS
AND PALM SPRINGS AND-- WE HAVE BEAUTIFUL GOLF COURSES
IN PALM SPRINGS, YOU DON'T HEAR ANYBODY SAYING, "LET'S PUT SOME OF THE WATER
IN THE PALM SPRINGS GOLF COURSES INTO THE SALTON SEA." YOU'D PROBABLY HAVE A REBELLION! I THINK WHAT'S IMPORTANT
FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND, THAT SMELL
THAT YOU DO SMELL OCCASIONALLY FROM THE SALTON SEA, AS IT GETS WORSE,
THAT SMELL WILL GET WORSE, TOO. PALM SPRINGS WILL HAVE NOTHING
BUT THAT SMELL, WHERE SOME
OF THE RICHEST PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES LIVE. WILL THEY KEEP THEIR MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR
WINTER HOUSE AND GO GOLFING WITH GREEN FEES AT HUNDREDS
OF DOLLARS EVERY DAY? NOTHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN
WITH THE SALTON SEA UNTIL PEOPLE REALIZE
THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE MONEY OR IT'S GOING TO HURT THEM
IN THEIR POCKETBOOKS. THE FOLKS UP NORTH OF US
HAVEN'T REALIZED THAT PALM SPRINGS
WON'T BE PALM SPRINGS IF THE SALTON SEA FAILS. (* Music ) YEAH, WE'VE BEEN HERE NOW
FOR 27 YEARS. IT'S A GOOD PLACE.
YEAH. WE'VE DONE
A LOT OF BUSINESS HERE. BUT WE'RE GETTING READY
TO SELL IT. I THINK WE'RE-- I'M JUST ABOUT GETTING TOO OLD
TO RUN A RESTAURANT. I DID A LOT OF FISHING, A LOT OF HUNTING
ON THE SALTON SEA. IT'S BEEN A WONDERFUL
RECREATION AREA, AND WE HOPE IT WILL BE
THAT WAY AGAIN. Eva Worthy:
CATHY! Cathy:
YEAH. I NEED TWO CHEESE OMELETS,
A SHORT STACK... I'M GOING TO BE
IN THE UNEMPLOYMENT LINE HERE SHORTLY. GOD, I'VE WORKED
HERE FOUR YEARS. FOUR YEARS;
I'M SURE GONNA MISS IT. THERE'S PEOPLE
THAT HAVE BEEN COMING HERE FOR 20 YEARS, JUST TO COME IN AND HAVE A CUP
OF COFFEE IN THE MORNING, EVEN IF IT'S FOR FIVE MINUTES
AND LEAVE. THEY'VE BEEN DOING IT
FOR 20 YEARS. AND SO IT'S GONNA BE
A CHANGE FOR 'EM. LIKE LEONARD, HE COMES IN,
HE FILLS UP MY ICE THING, BEFORE I EVEN GET THERE, AND HE'S GONE
BEFORE THE PLACE EVEN OPENS UP. THEY'VE BEEN GOOD FRIENDS
AND GOOD COMPANY, AND I'M GONNA MISS 'EM. WELL, I'M GLAD THEY'RE CLOSING, AND THEY CAN'T CLOSE
SOON ENOUGH, BECAUSE I'VE GOTTEN USED TO
'EM NOT BEING THERE ALREADY. THEY'RE THE HIGHEST-PRICED
PLACE IN TOWN. ...SAYS YOU'RE GONNA TAKE
THE TAPE OFF AND BURN IT. NO, I SAID
TAKE THE TAPE OFF. DO YOU'RE THING! OH, SHUT UP.
( Laughing ) ( Smack ) SO I CAN
TAKE THE TAPE OFF! I SAID I'M DONE. HE'S GONNA MISS IT;
HE LOVES IT. I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY,
YOU'RE 91 YEARS OLD AND YOU'RE STILL WORKING
FOUR DAYS A WEEK, YOU HAVE TO LIKE IT A LITTLE,
YOU KNOW? IT'S KIND OF SAD BECAUSE
IT'S BEEN HERE FOR SO LONG. BUT AT LEAST
I WILL GET A DAY OFF.
( Laughs ) NO, IT'S SAD BECAUSE... I DON'T KNOW, IT'S PART OF NILAND, YOU KNOW? HAROLD AND THIS CAFE
ARE JUST PART OF NILAND. (* Music ) CAPTION TECHNOLOGIES INC.
www.captiontech.com Announcer:
WANT MORE OF TRULY CALIFORNIA? VISIT OUR WEBSITE TO WATCH PREVIEWS
OF UPCOMING EPISODES, LISTEN TO INTERVIEWS
WITH FILMMAKERS, WATCH SHORT DOCUMENTARIES,
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IS PROVIDED BY: ...INDIVIDUALS, FOUNDATIONS,
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We toured California, Nevada and Utah on out honeymoon (from UK). I wanted to visit the Salton Sea because I loved the Val Kilmer movie of the same name.
It was great and unlike anywhere else we'd ever been. My wife especially loved it she'd never heard of it before. We stopped at a diner in a place called Niland and the waitress was amazed that we'd come all the way from England. Would recommend it to anyone, only a few hours from LA.
I’ve been. Weird place. Even weirder is a place very close by called Slab City. Essentially a well established homeless camp that accepts visitors. There is an out door art instillation as well. Fun day trip for anybody in the vicinity.
I loved the "salton sea" movie..havent ran across many people that have seen it.
Thanks OP for sharing this documentary! I live about 20 minutes away from the Salton Sea and it’s quite the eerie/captivating experience to visit (and yes on hot days you can smell the ripeness )You can certainly feel the “old glory days” that used to be, and the townsfolk are quirky and kind.
I would hope ( but this is CA, so we can’t be too optimistic) that they would follow through with the reconstruction and providing an outlet for the sea. Imagine what that place could become if some bit of effort was exerted by the government to preserve it.
Isnt this Place in GTA V too? I always wondered if its a Parody of a real Place or just some Deco for the Area
Also known for botulism, as well as mass fish die offs, and brown pelicans dying as a result, the stench in the Coachella valley in August is intense, but you hardly notice it being stuck inside with the a/c on all day while it's a raging 120 fahrenheit outside.
Weird place. The “beaches” are carpeted in a vast expense of dead rotting fish carcasses and reeking algae in my recollection. Crazy that it was once a resort.
I live in mecca which is about 10 minutes away, the salton sea is a curse because when it was clean the tourism was at all time high, now it just makes the valley stink and kills all the animals.
Such a bizarre place. My favorite Salton Sea attraction is probably the Bananna Museum