Salton Sea is one of the world largest inland seas, located not far from Palm Springs, about 30 miles south of Indio on Highway 111.  Like Death Valley, Salton Sea  is also one of the lowest spots on earth.  Currently the surface of the sea is 226 ft (69 meters) below sea level.

Salton Sea was re-created in 1905 when high  flooding on the Colorado River crashed the canal gates leading into the developing Imperial Valley.  For the next 18 months the entire volume of the Colorado River rushed downward into the Salton Basin.  By the time engineers were finally able to stop the breaching water in 1907, the Salton Sea had been born at 35 miles long and 15 miles wide and made it the largest lake in California.