Salton Sea 2020-2023 Sediment Geochemistry and Sulfate Reduction Rates

The following dataset includes sediment geochemistry and sulfate reduction rates for the Salton Sea, a rapidly drying inland lake in California's Coachella Valley. These measurements were conducted to assess how rapid desiccation, a similar phenomenon happening to inland lakes globally, is affecting biogeochemical cycling in the lake (Yousavich et al., 2026). All measurements were conducted between 2020 and 2023, with samples collected aboard a small boat during three sampling campaigns (June 2021, August 2021, April 2022). Water column samples were collected with either a Niskin bottle (2020-2022) or a peristaltic pump (2023) and sediment samples were collected with a large bore sediment sampler.