San Andreas Fault
The Salton Trough is a result of crustal stretching and sinking caused by the combined actions of the San Andreas Fault and the East Pacific Rise, particularly the Gulf of California Rift Zone (GCRZ), the northernmost portion of the East Pacific Rise. The GCRZ and the San Andreas Fault both terminate near the south end of the Salton Sea, in an area called the Brawley Seismic Zone. The Brawley seismic zone is an active spreading center that connects the San Andreas Fault system with the Imperial Fault Zone to the south.