News from the Field: Day 12--Mono Lake Day

Today was our Mono Lake day. We started with a visit to the U.S. Forest Service visitor center for an introduction to Mono Basin natural history with Dave Marquardt, a ranger with the California State Tufa Reserve. Dave gave us a great tour of the Tufa Reserve, an extraordinary site with dramatic sculptures of calcium carbonate rising out of Mono Lake. Dave helped us understand the history of the lake, the origin of the tufa towers, and the unusual ecosystem that has developed in one of the West's great saline lakes. We explored lake chemistry, brine shrimp, alkali flies, birds, tufa, hot springs, and the plants and animals surrounding Mono Lake. A lunch at Lee Vining's little Hess Park, followed by two afternoon meetings exploring the environmental politics surrounding water use in California. First, Chris Plakos from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power showed us several of DWP's water diversion projects, which take Mono Basin water and divert it 250 miles to feed Los Angeles ravenous water needs. We ended the afternoon with Bartshe Miller, and environmental educator with the Mono Lake Committee, a highly successful local environmental group that is credited with saving Mono Lake from a near-certain death from dessication and salinization. The group split up for either a late-afternoon swim in Mono Lake (yuck!) or an ice cream at 'The Mono Cone' in Lee Vining. A great dinner and evening lecture by Bob Jellison, a limnologist (look it up!) with SNARL who has worked on Mono Lake chemistry and biology for over 20 years. He told an interesting story about an unexpected and potentially problematic environmental issue caused by the rapid refilling of Mono Lake--a long-term stratification of the lake. The talk catalyzed lots of interesting discussion about science, environment, and public policy.

Dave Marquardt of the Mono Lake Tufa Reserve State Park starts the day with a presentation on Mono Lake natural history.
The group looks on as Dave gives some background on Mono Lake's tufa towers.
Dave explains how the tufa towers form, with a few of the extraordinary towers visible in the background.
Dave shows the group a sample of tufa.
A demonstration on the chemistry of tufa formation shows the precipitation of calcium carbonate (limestone!) when dissolved calcium meets the bicarbonate-rich waters of the alkaline lake.
And a pH test shows the water to be highly alkaline--a pH of 9!
Sarah Rapp tries out the famous pupa of the alkali fly--the mainstay of the Paiute Indians who lived in Mono Basin.
Neal Solon and John Schuman can't resist the treat!
The little bugs are so good, Tom McFarland decides to give up his vegan diet
The group looks for some brine shrimp, the main organism that thrives on Mono Lake's alkaline waters
The group relaxes for lunch at Lee Vining's Hess Park.
After lunch, we meet with Chris Plakos of the Los Angeles Division of Water and Power for a first-hand view of the DWP water diversion facility on Lee Vining Creek.
Chris explains some of the intracacies of California water policy, and the changes that resulted from the historic Mono Lake decision
We go to Grant Lake, the major storage lake for water from the diverted streams--at a beautiful site nestled near the Sierra peaks
Chris explains the history and technology of water diversion from the Mono Basin, through an 11-mile long tunnel through the Mono Craters, to the Owens Valley, and on down to Los Angeles
Back in Lee Vining, we meet with Bartshe Miller, an education specialist with the Mono Lake Committee
And after dinner, an evening lecture by Bob Jellison on Mono Lake water chemistry and its impacts on the lake's unusual biota.
View Ranger Dave Marquardt do his famous imitation of a kildeer [1.1MB]	Click here