Those massive, electric-blue ponds are actually the evaporation ponds of a Potash mining operation that are indeed visible and have been photographed from earth orbit. They can be termed a sort of modern miracle. Blue dye is added to the briny water that contains soluble potash extracted from underground deposits nearly 4,000 feet below the desert floor. Water is first pumped into the potash deposit to dissolve the potash, and then it is returned to the surface and pumped into one of several huge evaporation ponds. The blue dye facilitates absorption of sunlight and heat to transform the potash into crystals which can then be harvested.
Although these evaporation ponds function in much the same manner as other ponds, they are unique not only because of the color but due to the massive size and configuration of the ponds. The evaporation process requires about 300 days, and the yield of potash is between 700 and 1,000 tons of potash daily! Colors vary during the different stages of the process from a range of blues that can be startlingly vibrant or extremely pale, almost white, to yellow or orange, all in stark contrast to the surrounding red desert landscape of Utah. The site is located about 10 miles southwest of Moab in southeastern Utah, not far from the Colorado River and between Arches National Park to the north and Canyonlands National Park in the southwest. Stunning views of the ponds are available from State Route 279, which is known locally as Potash Scenic Byway.
