Soda Lake

Soda Lake. . , At 3,000 acres, Soda Lake is one of the largest undisturbed alkali wetlands in the state. It provides important habitat for migratory birds, such as Black-necked stilts, Avocets, Killdeer and on occasion White Pelican. , In the late 1800s the lakebed was mined for the significant mineral content found in the black mud beneath the salt crust. Because the lake is self-contained, with no outlet, the water evaporates in the summer. The remaining salts form a glistening expanse that appears to ripple and sway in the heat. Only 9% consists of table salt, another 9% are miscellaneous salts, while 82% is sodium sulfate (useful for preserving meats, cattle salt licks), and used in making detergent, soap and glass. , In 1908 the Carrisa Chemical Company constructed a processing plant here that could recover 600 tons of sodium sulfate each month. After processing, the salts were sacked and hauled approximately 35 miles to McKittrick for distribution. , The San Andreas Fault, over 625 miles long, traverses the Carrizo from north to south near the base of the Temblor Range. The fault marks the boundary of the North American Plate and the Pacific Plate. The Pacific Plate moves northwest on average of 3-5 cm/yr, however on the Carrizo it builds up pressure until it releases energy in the form of a large earthquake. The last major earthquake in this region was the Fort Tejon earthquake in 1857 which moved the ground 30 feet horizontally and 3 feet vertically in a matter of seconds. , Visit the San Andreas fault at Wallace Creek, along Elkhorn Road which runs along the base of the Temblor Range. Access Elkhorn Rd. from its junction with 7-mile Rd, just west of the junction of 7-mile Rd. and Highway 58. Continue south on the dirt road. The site is about a mile south of the intersection with Simmler Road and the major power line crossing. See creeks that have been offset by motion along the fault.