Bombay Beach | |
|---|---|
 Sign for Bombay Beach | |
 Location in Imperial County and the state of California | |
  Bombay Beach Location in the United States | |
| Coordinates: 33°21′03″N 115°43′47″W / 33.35083°N 115.72972°W[1] | |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Imperial |
| Area | |
• Total | 0.66 sq mi (1.72 km2) |
| • Land | 0.66 sq mi (1.72 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) 0% |
| Elevation | −223 ft (−68 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 231 |
| • Density | 347.89/sq mi (134.37/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−8 (Pacific) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−7 (PDT) |
| ZIP code | 92257 |
| Area codes | 442/760 |
| FIPS code | 06-07372 |
| GNIS feature IDs | 1667823, 2407878 [1] |
Bombay Beach is a census-designated place (CDP) in Imperial County, California, United States. It is located on the Salton Sea, 4 miles (6.4 km) west-southwest of Frink[3] and is the lowest community in the United States, located 223 feet (68 m) below sea level.[4] The population was 231 at the 2020 census, down from 295 in 2010, down from 366 in 2000.[5] It is part of the El Centro, California, metropolitan statistical area.
Bombay Beach was once a popular getaway for beachgoers until the 1980s, when the draining and increasing salinity of the Salton Sea destroyed the lake's ecosystem and drove businesses and private landowners out of the area, rendering Bombay Beach a ghost town. Despite this, by 2018, a number of people had moved into the area, and the town's many abandoned structures and features from its past have drawn visitors back in. A 2018 article in The Guardian stated that it was "enjoying a rebirth of sorts with an influx of artists, intellectuals and hipsters who have turned it into a bohemian playground."[6] The Bombay Beach Biennale, an annual art festival, is held here.
- ^ a b c "Bombay Beach". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
- ^ Durham, David L. (1998). California's Geographic Names: A Gazetteer of Historic and Modern Names of the State. Clovis, Calif.: Word Dancer Press. p. 1397. ISBN 1-884995-14-4.
- ^ "Wolfram Alpha: Lowest City in America". Retrieved January 20, 2015.
- ^ US Census Bureau, 2020 Census, Bombay Beach, California profile
- ^ "In a forgotten town by the Salton Sea, newcomers build a bohemian dream". The Guardian. April 23, 2018. Retrieved November 11, 2020.