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Mono Lake

Mono Lake. Location. Eastern California, in the Great Basin Replenished by snow from mountains in Sierra Nevada range Evaporation provides only natural outflow. What is the problem?. Mono lake is essential for millions of migratory and nesting birds and countless other plants and animals

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Mono Lake

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  1. Mono Lake

  2. Location • Eastern California, in the Great Basin • Replenished by snow from mountains in Sierra Nevada range • Evaporation provides only natural outflow

  3. What is the problem? • Mono lake is essential for millions of migratory and nesting birds and countless other plants and animals • Too much surface water was diverted - volume cut in half • Rivers deposit dissolved salts, but only water is removed by evaporation • The Lake’s salinity doubled

  4. What the history of the problem? • 1941- most surface water diverted to Los Angeles • Resulted in a large decrease in the size of the lake • Increased salinity adversely affected the brine shrimp and alkali flies • This effected 80 species of ducks, geese and water birds that eat the shrimp and flies

  5. Stats! • Volumes of the lake • 4.3 million acre-feet at 6,417 feet above sea level (in 1941 before diversions) • 3.1 million acre-feet at 6,392 feet above sea level (future stabilization level) • 2.6 million acre-feet at 6,383 feet above sea level (2002 level) • 2.1 million acre-feet at 6,372 feet above sea level (1982, lowest recorded level • Past lake fluctuations • 20th Century Low, January 1982 6,372 feet above sea level • Beginning of Diversions, 1941 6,417 feet above sea level • 20th Century High, 1919 6,428 feet above sea level • Overflow Level, perhaps 100,000 years ago 7,200 feet above sea level Elevation Lake Area Exposed Lakebed Salinity When 6,417 55,179 acres (86.2 sq. mi.) 0 acres 51.3g/l 1941, prior to diversions 6,392 48,474 acres (75.7 sq. mi.) 6,700 acres 69.3g/l stabilization level in 20 years 6,383 45,133 acres (70.5 sq. mi.) 10,000 acres 79.6g/l 2002 6,372 36,728 acres (57.4 sq. mi.) 18,500 acres 99.4g/l 1982

  6. David Gaines Floating in Mono's Salty Waters “The Birds and animals, trees and grass, rocks, water and wind are all our allies. They waken our senses, rouse our passions, renew our spirits, and fill us with vision, courage, and joy.... We are Mono Lake.” -David Gaines

  7. Any Solutions? • 1989 - Court order haltered water diversions from mono lake • 1994 - California worked out an agreement between LA water authority and National Audubon Society • Less water will be diverted to Los Angeles • This means more fresh water to dilute the salty water

  8. The Future… • Mono Lake should return to 72% of its full volume by 2015 • Countless birds expected to return to the shore to nest • It will not be what it once was because some water will still be diverted • Camera on Monolake

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