Tuesday, April 27th, 2010 by Morgan, Policy CoordinatorcloseAuthor: Morgan, Policy CoordinatorName: Morgan Lindsay Title: Project Specialist About: Morgan works to support the protection and restoration of Mono Lake and its tributary streams in the office and out in the field. She loves doing something different every day, from monitoring the lake's rise and groundwater patterns along the creek's bottomlands to researching policy issues. But after three summers sharing Mono Lake with visitors by canoe, Morgan's favorite job will always be making new friends for the lake. A graduate of Mount Holyoke College with an Environmental Studies degree in Water Science & Policy, there is nowhere Morgan would rather be than the Mono Basin. If she's not out hiking, skiing, or digging in the dirt with the Sierra Bounty CSA, Morgan's probably at rehearsal for the next Eastern Sierra theatrical adventure—eager for any socially acceptable excuse to sport a goatee.See All Posts by Morgan (33) Contact Morgan
Canoe on Mono Lake this summer! Call (760) 647-6595 for reservations. Photo by Santiago Escruceria.
Imagine gliding through groves of tufa towers as nearby California Gulls dine on brine shrimp and alkali flies. Summer canoe tours on Mono Lake offer a fun, family-friendly way to experience Mono Lake up close.
We’ll investigate Mono Lake’s unusual natural history, from multitudes of brine shrimp found nowhere else on earth, to scuba-diving (more…)
Friday, April 23rd, 2010 by Elin, Communications CoordinatorcloseAuthor: Elin, Communications CoordinatorName: Elin Ljung Title: Communications Coordinator About: Elin's job consists of some of her favorite things: finding typos, experimenting with layouts, and figuring out how best to communicate the Committee's work to the world. She also oversees the Field Seminar program. Elin is an EMT on the Lee Vining Fire Department, loves sitting at Latte Da Coffee Cafe immersed in a good book, and watches English Premier League football (soccer) at any opportunity.See All Posts by Elin (133) Contact Elin
Whether you fly fish or prefer to spin cast, take out your float tube or stand on the shore, look for stream riffles or the glassiest lakes, fishing season in the Eastern Sierra has something for everyone. The 2010 fishing season opens this Saturday, April 24 … do you have everything you need?
Licenses
Anyone age 16 or older must have a valid fishing license. New this year: no longer do (more…)
Thursday, April 22nd, 2010 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
Highway 120, Tioga Road, is closed for the winter about four miles from Highway 395, near the bottom of the 3,000-foot grade between Lee Vining and Tioga Pass. By early May the road is usually opened to the top from the east, about 12 miles from Highway 395 (check here for the change in mileage to know when it opens), allowing skiers easy access to spring skiing in the snow-covered high country. The road within Yosemite National Park remains closed through most of May.
Last night at the Mono Basin Regional Planning Advisory Committee meeting (always a great source of up-to-date info usually the second Wednesday of each month), Mark Logan, the Caltrans Lee Vining Road Maintenance Supervisor, said (more…)
Friday, April 16th, 2010 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
At this point, with the National Park Service beginning plowing only yesterday, there is no way anyone can know what the opening date will be this spring. But we are getting lots of calls and emails, so we figured it was worth posting what we do know.
The average opening date is at the end of May, and this April’s snowpack water content is slightly above average at 112% at Tioga Pass, 96% in Dana Meadows, 102% in Tuolumne Meadows, 92% at Tenaya Lake, and 134% at Gin Flat. Plowing typically begins (more…)
Friday, April 16th, 2010 by Elin, Communications CoordinatorcloseAuthor: Elin, Communications CoordinatorName: Elin Ljung Title: Communications Coordinator About: Elin's job consists of some of her favorite things: finding typos, experimenting with layouts, and figuring out how best to communicate the Committee's work to the world. She also oversees the Field Seminar program. Elin is an EMT on the Lee Vining Fire Department, loves sitting at Latte Da Coffee Cafe immersed in a good book, and watches English Premier League football (soccer) at any opportunity.See All Posts by Elin (133) Contact Elin
Here in Lee Vining we wait for calling California Gulls, melting snows, and warming temperatures to tell us that spring has arrived each year. But there are other signs of spring as well, and among the most eagerly-awaited is opening day at the Mono Cone!
Arya, Lisa, Greg, and Erika bask in the warm sprintime sun after a big Mono Cone meal! Photo by Elin Ljung.
Thursday, April 15th, 2010 by Elin, Communications CoordinatorcloseAuthor: Elin, Communications CoordinatorName: Elin Ljung Title: Communications Coordinator About: Elin's job consists of some of her favorite things: finding typos, experimenting with layouts, and figuring out how best to communicate the Committee's work to the world. She also oversees the Field Seminar program. Elin is an EMT on the Lee Vining Fire Department, loves sitting at Latte Da Coffee Cafe immersed in a good book, and watches English Premier League football (soccer) at any opportunity.See All Posts by Elin (133) Contact Elin
Yellow-headed Blackbird. Photo by Santiago Escruceria.
Calling all birders, explorers, naturalists, artists, and lovers of Mono Lake … registration for the ninth annual Mono Basin Bird Chautauqua is now open!
The Chautauqua weekend (June 18–20) is jam-packed full of field trips, workshops, and presentations that will take you all over the Mono Basin and beyond. So check the weekend’s schedule, pick out your favorite programs, and sign up as soon as you can!
If you don’t check-in you may lose your spot. The check-in area will be located at the Lee Vining Community Center Friday and Saturday beginning at 6:00 AM. On Thursday, June 17 you will be able to check in at the Mono Lake Committee Information Center and Bookstore from 3:00 PM until 8:00 PM.
Walk-in registration will be offered concurrently with check-in throughout the event.
Tuesday, April 13th, 2010 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
The Mono Lake Committee submitted the 51-pages of comments below on March 30th to the State Water Resources Control board. The comments are regarding the draft “Synthesis Report” which was released (more…)
Tuesday, April 13th, 2010 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
The draft “Synthesis Report” included winter flow recommendations for Rush Creek that had not been adjusted for gains and losses below the release point (the MGORD- Mono Gate One Return Ditch). The Stream Scientists today released the revised (more…)
Monday, April 12th, 2010 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
Fishing opener April 24, is a busy time for Lee Vining and the region, but this year there’s quite a bit of local concern about whether streams and lakes will be stocked with fish. The Department of Fish & Game (DFG) has announced a new pre-stocking evaluation process that is causing quite a bit of consternation because it is holding up stocking efforts. The process requires reviewing each water for conflicts between trout and resident sensitive species.
Fishing opener is April 24 and Mono Basin streams are being stocked. Photo by Elin Ljung.
Here in the Mono Basin, most routinely-stocked lakes and streams have already been cleared to be stocked, including Rush, Lee Vining, and Mill creeks; Lundy Lake; Grant Lake, and (more…)
