The Settler Sea: California's Salton Sea and the Consequences of Colonialism

The Salton Sea is a wetland in a desert, a wildlife refuge that poisons birds, and a body of water in which fish suffocate. Traci Brynne Voyless' history of the Salton Sea examines how settler colonialism restructures physical environments in ways that further Indigenous dispossession, racial capitalism, and degradation of the natural world. It is considered a looming environmental disaster and is at the often-contested intersections of the sovereign lands of the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuillas and the state of California.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 384 pages
Publication date: 05 August 2022
Publisher: University of Nebraska Press

The 2022 WHA Caughey Western History Prize was awarded to Traci Brynne Voyless for her outstanding book on the American West, titled "The Settler Sea." This captivating work delves into the complex and often contradictory nature of the Salton Sea, a wetland situated in a desert, a wildlife refuge that poses a threat to birds, and a body of water where fish struggle to survive. Through a thorough historical analysis, Voyless explores how settler colonialism actively reshapes physical environments, perpetuating Indigenous dispossession, racial capitalism, and the degradation of the natural world. In essence, "The Settler Sea" poses the profound question of how settler colonialism harnesses nature to serve the interests of settlers.

The Salton Sea, located in Southern California, is the largest inland body of water in the region, spanning the space between the fertile agricultural farmland of the Imperial Valley and the arid desert known as "Americas Sahara." Situated near the border between the United States and Mexico, the sea is at the intersection of the sovereign lands of the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuillas and the state of California, where it has faced numerous challenges and controversies.

Created in 1905 as a result of overflow from the Colorado River, which was combined with a poorly constructed irrigation system, the Salton Sea was initially intended to be a source of irrigation for the surrounding farmland. However, the sea's precarious existence has always been tied to the complex interplay between human and natural influences. It exists in the interstices of desert and wetland, between the relentless pull of the sun and the constant influx of polluted water.

The Salton Sea's precariousness serves as a poignant symptom and symbol of the broader precariousness of settler relationships to the environment, both in the West and beyond. Voyles offers an innovative exploration of the Salton Sea, seeking to understand the ways in which the sea, its origins, and its role in human life have been essential to the people who call this place home.

Through her meticulous research and insightful analysis, Voyles sheds light on the historical, cultural, and ecological significance of the Salton Sea. She explores the ways in which the sea has been a source of livelihood for indigenous communities, who have relied on its fisheries and wildlife for centuries. She also examines the ways in which the sea has become a symbol of environmental degradation and the challenges faced by those who live in its vicinity.

Voyles' work is a valuable contribution to the study of settler colonialism and the environmental history of the American West. It challenges the conventional narratives that often portray nature as a passive and benign entity, instead highlighting the ways in which settler colonialism actively shapes and exploits natural resources for the benefit of settlers. "The Settler Sea" offers a fresh perspective on the complex and often contentious relationship between humans and nature, and it serves as a reminder of the urgent need to address the environmental and social challenges facing our world today.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781496233387