Peapix

  • Bing Gallery
  • Extension
Peapix
Bing Gallery
Extension
  • Canada
    All
    Australia Canada China Germany France India Japan Spain United Kingdom United States Italy Brazil

Bing Gallery

Australia Canada China Germany France India Japan Spain United Kingdom United States Italy Brazil
  1. Bing Gallery
  2. Canada
  3. 2022
  4. August 06
  5. Salt flats in San Francisco Bay
arrow_back_ios arrow_forward_ios Salt flats in San Francisco Bay

August 06, 2022

Salt flats in San Francisco Bay

© Jeffrey Lewis/Tandem Stills + Motio

A salty situation. San Francisco Bay salt flat

You might be wondering where the volcano is in today’s photo, but that’s not lava. These are salt evaporation ponds in San Francisco Bay. If you happen to be in the air and flying over this part of the country, you’ll notice not just the bright orange but various greens and blues and even magenta pools that are part of the famous salt ponds. The vibrant colours are determined by brine shrimp, algae, and other microorganisms and their responses to different levels of salt. This orange results from about a mid-level saline concentration and the presence of tiny brine shrimp in the water. Green indicates low levels of salt, while pink or red are signs of high salt content in an algae-rich pond.

When Spanish explorers and missionaries arrived in the area in the late 18th century, members of the Indigenous Ohlone people were already extracting salt from the naturally occurring ponds. The California Gold Rush (1848–1855) brought waves of settlers to the region, and salt became one of San Francisco’s largest industries. Roughly 80 percent of the wetland was eventually lost to salt mining, landfill, or other industrial alteration. But since 2003, many of these tidal flats have been acquired by federal and state agencies as well as private foundations to be restored to their original state. The restoration process will take decades, but even as the wetlands are being restored, about half a million tonnes of sea salt are harvested from the ponds every year.

map text decorated painted

Related Images

Aerial view of Sydney Harbour, New South Wales, AustraliaAerial view of Sydney Harbour, New South Wales, Australia
English National Ballet performing 'The Nutcracker'English National Ballet performing 'The Nutcracker'
Temple of Hathor, Dendera Temple Complex, Qena, EgyptTemple of Hathor, Dendera Temple Complex, Qena, Egypt
Toronto Sign, Nathan Phillips Square, CanadaToronto Sign, Nathan Phillips Square, Canada
Aerial view of the Grand Canal and the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute, Venice, ItalyAerial view of the Grand Canal and the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute, Venice, Italy
Italica, an old Roman city in Santiponce, Sevilla, Andalusia, SpainItalica, an old Roman city in Santiponce, Sevilla, Andalusia, Spain
Misool, Raja Ampat Islands, IndonesiaMisool, Raja Ampat Islands, Indonesia
The Bahamas photographed from the International Space StationThe Bahamas photographed from the International Space Station

Today on Bing

Molokini, Maui, Hawaii

Molokini, Maui, Hawaii

Aug 06, 2024
Kagami-ike (Mirror Pond), Nagano, Japan

Kagami-ike (Mirror Pond), Nagano, Japan

Aug 06, 2023
Salisbury Crags in Holyrood Park overlooking Edinburgh, Scotland

Salisbury Crags in Holyrood Park overlooking Edinburgh, Scotland

Aug 06, 2021
Former lifeguard station on the island of Rügen, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany

Former lifeguard station on the island of Rügen, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany

Aug 06, 2020
White storks at Los Barruecos Natural Monument, Caceres, Spain

White storks at Los Barruecos Natural Monument, Caceres, Spain

Aug 06, 2019

Related Tags

text water outdoor lake ship group sky nature ballet dance dancer dancing ancient stone building skyscraper city light tower downtown
Share photo
Share
Pin
Tweet
Line
  • © 2025 Peapix.com
  • API
  • App
  • Privacy
The images are provided for wallpaper use only.