As for the Salton Sea, when you go there drive around the area and use a high powered binocular to carefully examine the surrounding bases of the mountains and high areas. You can clearly see ancient shorelines that recede, pause, then recede again. Back before Salton Sea was accidentally created it was a very low dry spot with seasonal floods. Then a breakout of the Colorado River diversion in 1905 and 1907 flooded the basin before it was stopped.
What they were originally trying to do was supply water to the farmers in that valley. What they accidentally did was create an inland brackish sea as the fresh water from the Colorado River dissolved ancient salt deposits. The deluge was stopped to save what farmland was left.
Now, the sea is once more drying up as it did in ancient times and will continue to do so unless the water is once more allowed to flood the basin.
True, we could allow that to happen and lose all that rich farmland and instead have in inland brackish sea full of fish. But for how long? The only way to keep it more fresh would be to allow the Colorado River to completely flow into the sea and then exit out to the Sea of Cortez. Not being a geologist or engineer, I can't say how feasible this would be as I don't have a topography map of the area but to me it seems quite feasible. An underground tunnel connecting the two bodies of water would be needed.
Of course, we would lose all that valuable farmland and the millions of dollars that farmland creates but then water could still be drained off the Colorado river for agriculture at higher elevations. Farmers would need to be compensated with new farmland and compensated for crops lost as well as housing that is below sea level.
It would cost billions but it's quite doable and in my opinion worth it as a local weather modification. More stable weather with less high temps and less very low temps as well as amazing fishing to be had as the inland sea is slowly turned more fresh.
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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