SIDEBAR: Photo op at the mudpots
Tuesday, December 8th, 2009

These mudpots are located in an open field on the southeastern side of the Salton Sea. The mud is just above ambient temperature and you can walk right up to the vents.

Where hot water is limited and hydrogen sulfide gas is present (emitting the “rotten egg” smell common to thermal areas), sulfuric acid is generated. The acid dissolves the surrounding rock into fine particles of silica and clay that mix with what little water there is to form the seething and bubbling mudpots.

Copy and paste the location to Google maps: Davis Rd & W Schrimpf Rd, Calipatria, Imperial, California 92233. The satellite view shows the “volcanoes” and their proximity to the Salton Sea.
Click here for a Youtube video (not mine) of the mudpots complete with glugs, blurps and bloops.




