Salt evaporation ponds, also called salterns or salt pans, are shallow artificial
ponds designed to extract
salts from
sea water or other
brines. The seawater or brine is fed into large ponds and water is drawn out through natural
evaporation which allows the salt to be subsequently harvested. The ponds also provide a productive resting and feeding ground for many species of
waterbirds, which may include
endangered species. The ponds are commonly separated by
levees.