This project was completed in collaboration with my classmate Aubrey Olson. The Salton Sea in California is somewhat of an ecological anomaly. After an irrigation incident that lead to the flooding of the Salton Basin, now know as the Salton Sea, the sea was seen as a vacation oasis in the middle of the desert. Fast forward to the present day - the sea is now fed solely by agricultural runoff, and has become incredibly saline and nutrient saturated. Because of these conditions, nearly all plant and animal species in and around the sea have since died. The sea is drying up at a rate of about 1 foot per year, leaving behind a playa that kicks up toxic dust, and has become dangerous for surrounding communities. In an effort to mitigate this toxic playa dust, and increase the soil health where the sea is drying up, my partner and I have created a design that aims to encourage the formation of important soil crusts.
