Monday, December 22nd, 2008 by Mono Lake Committee StaffcloseAuthor: Mono Lake Committee StaffName: Mono Lake Committee Staff Title: About: The Mono Lake Committee is a 16,000 member non-profit citizens' group dedicated to protecting and restoring the Mono Basin ecosystem, educating the public about Mono Lake and the impacts on the environment of excessive water use, and promoting cooperative solutions that protect Mono Lake and meet real water needs without transferring environmental problems to other areas.See All Posts by Mono Lake Committee (29) Contact Mono Lake Committee
It’s nearing the end of 2008–time to take stock of things and to take a look back at the year behind in order to prepare for the year ahead. It’s also the time of year when radio and TV shows do countdowns and “top ten” lists. We’ve gathered our own top ten list of great things that have happened for Mono Lake in 2008 to share with you, one per day, leading up to the New Year.
So, without further ado, the Mono Lake Top Ten from 2008:
Number 10. The Mono Lake Committee turns 30(more…)
Friday, December 19th, 2008 by Greg, Information & Restoration SpecialistcloseAuthor: Greg, Information & Restoration SpecialistName: Greg Reis Title: Information & Restoration Specialist About: Since his Committee internship in 1995, Greg has been involved with Mono Basin stream restoration and with maintaining the Committee's computers, Websites, and Research Library, and researching and compiling information for our programs. His B.S. degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in Forestry and Natural Resources with a concentration in Environmental Management and a Senior Project in Hydrology reflects his interest in natural resources management, administration, planning, environmental analysis, and restoration. He is a member of the California Association of Environmental Professionals and the California Society for Ecological Restoration.See All Posts by Greg (134) Contact Greg
WEATHER
One week ago our highs were still in the 50s and our lows were in the 20s. This very pleasant December weather ended abruptly as a winter storm (more…)
Thursday, December 18th, 2008 by Greg, Information & Restoration SpecialistcloseAuthor: Greg, Information & Restoration SpecialistName: Greg Reis Title: Information & Restoration Specialist About: Since his Committee internship in 1995, Greg has been involved with Mono Basin stream restoration and with maintaining the Committee's computers, Websites, and Research Library, and researching and compiling information for our programs. His B.S. degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in Forestry and Natural Resources with a concentration in Environmental Management and a Senior Project in Hydrology reflects his interest in natural resources management, administration, planning, environmental analysis, and restoration. He is a member of the California Association of Environmental Professionals and the California Society for Ecological Restoration.See All Posts by Greg (134) Contact Greg
Mono Lake dropped 0.08 feet this past week and currently is at the low point for the year: 6382.07′. This was a bit unexpected, considering the cold and wet weather we’ve had this past week. But it wasn’t that wet and it was very cold. It does make sense, since inflow from Rush Creek is the lowest in decades. Also, the extreme cold weather has turned liquid into solid, resulting in a reduced inflow to Mono Lake–because solid doesn’t flow!
If the lake drops any more at all, it is off the gauge–and we wouldn’t know the level until (more…)
Thursday, December 18th, 2008 by Geoff, Executive DirectorcloseAuthor: Geoff, Executive DirectorName: Geoffrey McQuilkin Title: Executive Director About: Geoff's goals for the Committee are: assuring Mono Lake's continuing protection, restoring Mono Lake's tributary streams, developing a permanent education program, and assuring that the strong tradition of scientific research at Mono Lake continues. A graduate of Harvard in the history of science, Geoff has worked for the Committee since 1992 and was an intern and volunteer before that. He's happy to live close to the lake with his wife Sarah and their daughters Caelen and Ellery.See All Posts by Geoffrey (105) Contact Geoffrey
I’m in Los Angeles this week–in fact, a day longer than planned thanks to some large early winter storms. Downtown received several inches of rain on Monday. On Wednesday, as I wrapped up my Mono Lake visits at the City Council and Department of Water and Power, it was raining again–a lot!
Monday, December 15th, 2008 by Santiago, Outdoor Experiences ManagercloseAuthor: Santiago, Outdoor Experiences ManagerName: Santiago Escruceria Title: Outdoor Experiences Manager About: Since Santiago runs the Outdoor Experiences Program, you can usually find him out exploring the Mono Basin with groups of inner city youth from Los Angeles, showing them where their water comes from and the importance of water conservation. He also frequents the County Park birdwalks and the Lee Vining Creek trail with binoculars in hand, and sings the praises of Macs everywhere.See All Posts by Santiago (4) Contact Santiago
… and I am back in the office for the winter! This year’s Outdoor Experiences season was probably the longest in the history of the program–we started in May and finished in mid-November; a record seven months! This year, we also celebrated the 15th anniversary of the program.
Monday, December 15th, 2008 by Geoff, Executive DirectorcloseAuthor: Geoff, Executive DirectorName: Geoffrey McQuilkin Title: Executive Director About: Geoff's goals for the Committee are: assuring Mono Lake's continuing protection, restoring Mono Lake's tributary streams, developing a permanent education program, and assuring that the strong tradition of scientific research at Mono Lake continues. A graduate of Harvard in the history of science, Geoff has worked for the Committee since 1992 and was an intern and volunteer before that. He's happy to live close to the lake with his wife Sarah and their daughters Caelen and Ellery.See All Posts by Geoffrey (105) Contact Geoffrey
Jonathan Parfrey was appointed as one of five Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Commissioners on Friday–and he’s a committed environmental advocate.
This is good news for Mono Lake. Jonathan is a strong environmental advocate who understands the critical linkage between water conservation, water recycling, and the City’s environmental responsibility to the lake. He also understands what needs to be accomplished to transform DWP into the a green utility. As a matter of fact (more…)
Sunday, December 14th, 2008 by Arya, Communications DirectorcloseAuthor: Arya, Communications DirectorName: Arya Degenhardt Title: Communications Director About: Arya oversees the Committee's communications program, which includes the Mono Lake Newsletter. She loves her job because she gets to share the inspiring work of the Mono Lake Committee with members and visitors alike. When she's not in the office you might find her running with her dogs Dublin and Poco, volunteering with the Lee Vining Fire Department, listening to any music with a banjo in it, or willing the plants in her garden to grow. Her favorite things to do in the Mono Basin include ice skating on nearby lakes, skiing the Mono Craters, and getting to smell the sagebrush when it rains.See All Posts by Arya (91) Contact Arya
We are excited to announce the arrival of new book Mono Lake Basin by David Carle and Don Banta, two local authors.
Mono Lake Basin, the new book by local residents David Carle and Don Banta, is a part of the "Images of America" series by Arcadia Publishing.
The book itself tells the story of the Mono Lake Basin through vintage pictures and captions from before (more…)
Wednesday, December 10th, 2008 by Erika, Office DirectorcloseAuthor: Erika, Office DirectorName: Erika Obedzinski Title: Office Director About: Erika's main task as Office Director is to keep balance in the office for the Committee's many staff and priorities. She is the puzzlemaster for the office schedule--which involves over 20 staff in the summertime--and she also oversees the summer intern and volunteer programs. Before her current role, Erika spent three years as the Committee's Membership Coordinator and her first summer in the Basin as an intern. After studying music composition at Bennington College, Erika received a degree in Culture, Ecology, and Sustainable Community from New College of California.See All Posts by Erika (11) Contact Erika
Thank you to all of you that have been doing some of your holiday shopping through the Mono Lake Committee! We appreciate the support this generates both in getting the word out to others about Mono Lake and the revenue it generates, especially in this tough economic time.
We’re all set up to get orders out quickly, so if there’s something you’d like to buy through the Committee’s online store, or from(more…)
Sunday, December 7th, 2008 by Arya, Communications DirectorcloseAuthor: Arya, Communications DirectorName: Arya Degenhardt Title: Communications Director About: Arya oversees the Committee's communications program, which includes the Mono Lake Newsletter. She loves her job because she gets to share the inspiring work of the Mono Lake Committee with members and visitors alike. When she's not in the office you might find her running with her dogs Dublin and Poco, volunteering with the Lee Vining Fire Department, listening to any music with a banjo in it, or willing the plants in her garden to grow. Her favorite things to do in the Mono Basin include ice skating on nearby lakes, skiing the Mono Craters, and getting to smell the sagebrush when it rains.See All Posts by Arya (91) Contact Arya
I just caught this spot on the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, which I listen to on the radio, but you can see, read, or listen here. It feels unusually dry in Lee Vining right now so we’re all crossing our fingers for snow. In rainy areas it’s (more…)
Friday, December 5th, 2008 by Greg, Information & Restoration SpecialistcloseAuthor: Greg, Information & Restoration SpecialistName: Greg Reis Title: Information & Restoration Specialist About: Since his Committee internship in 1995, Greg has been involved with Mono Basin stream restoration and with maintaining the Committee's computers, Websites, and Research Library, and researching and compiling information for our programs. His B.S. degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in Forestry and Natural Resources with a concentration in Environmental Management and a Senior Project in Hydrology reflects his interest in natural resources management, administration, planning, environmental analysis, and restoration. He is a member of the California Association of Environmental Professionals and the California Society for Ecological Restoration.See All Posts by Greg (134) Contact Greg
This morning dawned frosty and clear on a rising Mono Lake. Today’s elevation is 6382.19 feet above sea level. This is about a tenth of a foot higher than it was a month ago, when it reached its lowest point for the year.
This seems to answer the question posed today in an email, “Do you really think it’s reached it’s lowest point of the winter and that it won’t continue to drop again till we get significant snow?” But a drop this month isn’t impossible… (more…)
