The Salton Sea is both an ecological disaster and a miracle. The current lake was formed in 1905 when the Colorado River flooded the low-lying basin, and it later became an important nesting site for an estimated two-thirds of the bird species in the continental United States ….According to Audubon, the ecosystem [now] is on the brink of collapse, which would devastate the approximately 400 bird species that nest there. Nevertheless, there is some hope: Various entities, such as the Salton Sea Authority and the California Natural Resources Agency, are working on mitigation efforts.