Imagine the salt flats restored to a sea. What a sight that would be! Would have a massive effect on climate for quite a distance... My question is if it dries up completely (salton), how will vegetation fare? I will have to look into the salinity and rainfall... People in Utah complain of air pollution due to their dusty drying sea. Dust can help cloud nucleation of course, but I haven’t looked into that as much for the US. Either way, and project like this would require massive approval as I am sure those who are on the edges or affected pathways would bitch about it. Tourists and city slickers would decide it.
I often think we don’t make enough use of our alpine regions. We leave our mountain forests practically untouched compared to other countries. Cows goats etc can and should be farmed on land that is too steep to support machinery. Switzerland has their head on straight when it comes to transhumance-moving cows goats etc from lowlands in winter to highlands in early summer/spring. Lowlands can produce hay and other crops during the summer while cows are away. Bonus winter skiing on those alpine pastures not in use. In the US we gripe about trees and have national parks bigger than entire countries. If I could settle in the rockies I probably would.
I've got nothing against forest but trees are just big plants. On my Grandpa's land we had tons of live oaks but the problem was, even with a wood boiler for hot water and house heating we didn't use enough and it got overgrown. This isn't good for deer as they need meadows to graze in as well as acorns for protein. Meadows should have patches of trees to help keep high winds down and provide shelter. Neither clear cut nor solid forest are good plans.
Aral sea was dried up due to Soviet era when they diverted the water but it's making a slow comeback now. Dust pollution has been an issue.
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