The Arizona sentinel., 1906-08-01
THE SALTON SEA.
Its Influence Upon the Climate of
 Arizona.

Colorado river into the Salton Sink upcn the climate of Arizo ma. Several articles have ap- peared in the newspapers tend ing to show that the large flow of water into the Sink has changed the climate of the South west to an appreciable extent. It is even asserted that, since the Salton Sink became mOder ately full, the temperature of the air has been greatly modified and the rainfall largely increased thereby.
 In order to obtain more den nite information relative to the supposed changes in the climatic conditions d prominent resident of Yavapai county addressed the chief of the weather bureau ser vice upon the subject, and his reply is given herewith;
 ''The greatest difficulty in ascribing the heavy rains that have been experienced in ArizO ma during the last two winters t1903-4 and 1904-5) to the forma- tion of an artificial lake in the Salton Sink lies in the fact that the rains came first, a fact that should be recalled by clear thinking people of the South west. If my information is cor rect. the canal through which the original diversion of water was made, was not finished until November, 1901. The phenom enally heavy rains in Arizona came in January. 1905. about a month after the completion of the canal, and several months before there was a semblance of a lake in the Salton Sink.
 The effect of this artificial body of water on the climate of the Southwest may be consider ed as practically nil.- It is true that the evaporation of water from. the lake surface will be much greater than from the des- ert that formerly occupied it's bed. but in the absence of factors which produce condensation the increased amount of water vapor thrown into the ar ayailS n0th ing so far as rainfall is concern ed. It is not possible to con- dense it so that it will be return ed to the earth as rain. The same is true of the water that passes into the air in the form of vapor from the Gulf of Califor- nia. The shores of that body of water are probably about as arid as can be found in any part of the globe. The true reason of its aridity is to be sought in the general circulation of the atmOS- phere as modified by the action of continental masses, rather than in local topography or proximity of large bodies of water.
 ''In the region of the great lakes the precipitation on the leeward side of the several lakes Is probably little greater than on the windward side, but the difference is not of moment. In the matter of temperature, how ever, there is a decided amelior- atiOn of, the rigors of winter due 90 the influence of the lake wa tcrs, and likewise the extreme Aeat of summer is diminished, especially on the leeward side of blse lakes.
 '1It seems probable that the teinpegature conditions in the vicinity of Salton Sink will be affected by the presence ef that body of water, the most notable changes being tendency to higher temperatures in winter along the shores of the lake and thus d protection from frost and slightly lower temperatures ia summer along the leeward shoFe- Doubtless the lower salnmey temperatures will be more insWf- fcrable than those formerly ex- Derienced by reason of the in creased humidity. In any event the influence of this body of water situated in the heart of She desert cannot extend much,