Imperial Valley press., 1935-11-23
DEVELOPMENT COMING
ALONG SALTON SEA


By slow stages Imperial county is ad-
vancing toward full development of one
of its greatest natural resources. the
Salton Sea. Latest step in this direction
Is approval by President Roosevelt of an
allotment of S15,649 in Works Progress
Administration funds for work on a
game refuge near Calipatria.
Unique in that It is the largest body
of water in North America lying below
sea level, the Salton Sea could be made
into one of the greatest assets of Imper-
ial Valley. Until now, it has been al
most entirely neglected as source of
profit to the county and to residents
here. Few outside of Imperial county
know about Salton Sea. In Los Angeles,
sportsmen know it as a duck hunters
paradise. Even in that aspect, its fame
goes little farther.
One drawback to full development of
attractions along the sea has been the
lack of public funds with which to carry
on such work. Through such allotments
as that for the game refuge this handi-
cap has been overcome to some extent
Another and greater drawback has been
the apathy displayed by most residents
of the valley when plans for improve
ments have been mentioned. Only a few
far sighted leaders have recognized the
opportunity embodied in the expanse of
water, and have attempted to take ad-
vantage of it. Through their efforts
have come about such successes as that
represented by work on the game refuge
and construction of road to Sandy
Beach.
Of the two Sandy Beach road prob
oh lox,a +bo faY oh Of
feet It will give easy access to the
very shore of the Salton Sea-something
which has been possible before this only
by roundabout route. Development of
the beach itself as a resort for residents
of the valley as we'll as for tourists will
follow in natural sequence. If it did
nothing more for the present than at
tract attention to the Salton Sea, con-
struction of the Sandy Beach road
would be justified.
Improvement of the game refuge will
have an entirely different result.
Strange though it seems the game refuge
will make hunting better by assuring
wildfoWl of haven and preventing
wholesale slaughter of the entire flock.
At the same time, the refuge will be-
come, as planned, a beauty spot for those
who leave their guns at home and take
along their cameras and lunches.
Both projects are of major import
ance currently but when taken in rela-
tion to the entire picture of Salton Sea
development as it should be, they fade
to comparative insignificance.
Boating and swimming possibilities
have not even been tapped. 1t is safe
to say that the Salton Sea is the largest
body of water in the civilized world up
on which there is not good sized fleet
of pleasure craft. 1t is hard to imagine
a similar body of water in other regions,
where the climate approximates that of
Imperial Valley, in which swimming is
not a sport for many persons Yet the
Salton Sea has neither boating nor
swimming, except in isolated instances.
Palm Springs, mecca Of society and
film folk, has not nearly the possibilities
of the Salton Sea. Everything there is
at Palm Springs, and countless addition
al attractions, could be offered by Salton
Sea and on its shores if the sea We're
properly developed and thoroughly pub
licized Not even the element of distance
is hindrance; Salton Sea is only an
hour farther than Palm Springs from
metropolitan centers. There is no reason
why Salton Sea should not exceed even
Palm Springs as a resort There are
several reasons why it should.