South Bay Salt Works

The South Bay Salt Works is a salt factory in southern San Diego near Chula Vista, in the South Bay region of San Diego County, California. Initially operating under the name La Punta Salt Works operations dating back to at least 1871, for a period of time it was the sole supplier of salt for Southern California. In 1902 it was purchased and renamed Western Salt Company, and later had narrow-gauge rail installed. During the rest of the 20th century, it was California's second-largest salt producer. The land was purchased by the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority in 1999 and transferred to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. In 2000, it assumed its current name and has continued salt harvesting operations. Water evaporated at the salt works comes from the Pacific Ocean. Since its inception, more than a million tons of salt has been harvested. The salt ponds are a stopping point for migratory birds; some of these birds are threatened or endangered. In 2011, two of the works' salt ponds were restored to marshlands.