Salton Sea Rotten Egg Smell Discourages Visitors, Attracts New Economic Development

A once beautiful lake teeming with water, fish, and tourists has become California’s smelliest environmental challenge.
Salton Sea Rotten Egg Smell Discourages Visitors, Attracts New Economic Development
A Salton City sign on the beach in Salton City on Aug. 8, 2024. Jimmy Ma/NTD
David Lam
Cynthia Cai
Updated:
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SALTON CITY, Calif.— The Salton Sea is one of the largest lakes in California, and it teemed with water, fish, and tourists just a few decades ago. However, over the last three decades, the body of water has become a major ecological challenge, with sulfide smells now keeping tourists away.

Resting at 227 feet below sea level, the area’s unique location and surrounding topography led to a cycle in which the lake formed, dried out, and reformed.

David Lam is a national correspondent based in California and a part-time anchor for "NTD Tonight." Before joining NTD he was a financial analyst.
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