Baker California Home of the worlds largest thermometer 

Yeah I remember driving through Baker. It was really nice. I like the whole Westcoas of U.S.A.

About thirty years ago I became convinced that Baker is a pit stop that survived on the money from people who break down on the way to Vegas. In '81 when I was a teen, my Dad and I were stuck there with an overheating car and trailer combo. We arrived ther at 6: PM, and chose one of many 24 hour garages. The eccentric mechanic fixed us up by dunking our radiator in an acid bath, his brainchild (he said). Then, years later, my motorcycle tire punctured there. I almost slept in that motel. lol

My best memories of Baker is, humanity. Among lots of people who were seemingly unwilling to help, or else gouge, I was lucky every time to find just the opposite. Good people who went overboard to help me out. I came in with a rear motorcyle wheel still bolted to a drive shaft, and was laughed at for my way of taking the rear wheel off. Then I was fixed up for five bucks and given a ride back to where the bike was stuck 15 miles. The tow driver repaired my mistake on site, no charge.

Since the reservoirs you discussed are located close to mining operations (or former operations), they may be leaching ponds. Find out what was mined at those sites. If it was gold or silver or other valuable metals, these were probably leaching ponds in which cyanide solution was used. But that's just a guess on my part.

Mike: The word for large piles of mining waste is pronounced "tailings" not "trailings." There is no 'R' in the word.

And the Baker Garage, run by some weird creeps, maybe too much Meth.