The crusty surface of Soda Dry Lake is caused by alkali salts forming a coating on the bed of the playa where the groundwater table is at or just below the surface.The salts accumulate through capillary rise of salty groundwater and evaporation and return to the groundwater when it rains.
The salt from Soda Dry Lake contributes to much of the windblown haze and dust that occurs in the Mojave region.
