Friday, January 1, 2010

Cargill Salt Ponds, San Francisco Bay

Cargill produces 650,000 tons of salt annually by crystalizing natural sea salt from the San Francisco Bay's waters. The colors are produced by varying concentrations of algae, brine shrimp, and other pond life. Organisms and colors change as the salinity changes.

However, the state of California recently purchased the ponds and will be converting them into a variety of wetland habitats as part of the South Bay Restoration Project. It's good for nature conservation and preservation, but bad for you, the aesthete, when flying into SFO. For more looks, check out the aerial photographs of Robert Campbell.

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