Join us for the second speaker in our lecture series, “Refreshments with Refreshing ‘ologists.” On Wednesday, August 10 we will host geomorphologist Scott Stine, a longtime member of the Mono Basin Science Council. Scott’s work has included researching many different topics ranging from lake level fluctuations to dating ages of tufa towers, and his talk will be focused on the volcanic history of Mono Lake’s islands. The talk will begin at 4:00pm in the Mono Lake Committee’s Theater & Gallery. Refreshments will be served. Contact Sarah at (760) 647-6595 for more information!

The Mono Basin National Forest Scenic Area. Photo by Arya Degenhardt.

Just a few days after we received notice of the new round of budget cuts that have ended the 26-year Mono Lake tradition of interpretive tours at Mono Lake, I took a visit to the Mono Basin National Forest Service Scenic Area Visitor Center to inquire about the remainder of their interpretive programs. I was surprised to find that another strong tradition has been lost to budget cuts: patio talks, which have gone on since 1992. These short ranger- and volunteer-led talks (more…)

Canoeing Mono Lake is an incredible way to see the lake, whether it’s for the first time or the twentieth. Even for those who have done walking tours at the lake, being out on the water allows you to see everything from an up-close-and-personal point of view.

We offer one-hour, naturalist-guided canoe tours on Saturdays and Sundays at 8:00, 9:30, and 11:00am. Aside from learning (more…)

Mill Creek, Mono Lake’s third largest tributary stream, is literally running wild! Currently in the midst of its second-highest peak since 1986, the amount of water running down this channel is more than jaw-dropping. At Lundy Lake Reservoir, the water gushing over the dam spillway travels under the road through a culvert to meet the creek on the other side. Currently, this culvert is in danger of being washed out completely due to the incredible amount of water spilling over the dam. If the culvert were to wash out, it could (more…)

After I finished my day’s data collections of stream flows for Mill Creek, I took the time to explore the Mill Creek bottomlands and the Black Point Marsh at the lakeshore. I eagerly hiked down the stream, bushwhacking through sagebrush, stopping to closely observe wildflowers, and frequently crossing the creek to observe curious Killdeer through my borrowed binoculars. Suddenly, completely out of the blue, I stepped onto the pumice sand of the beach and I was in a new world.

Where Mill Creek's water meets Mono Lake.

Not only had I had never seen Mono Lake from this angle, but following the trickle of Mill Creek water into the lake gave my weekly flow measurements and data collections new meaning. I am monitoring (more…)

Water cascades over the Lundy Lake Reservoir spillway on its way down Mill Creek to Mono Lake. Photo by Sarah Melcher.

I grabbed the flow meter and eagerly drove out to Lundy Canyon, where our beloved Mill Creek runs in its complicated course to Mono Lake. As the intern assigned to monitor Mill Creek this summer, I got to be one of the first people to see Lundy Lake Reservoir spill into the usually less-than-full creek bed.

Typically, Mill Creek is diverted at Lundy Lake to the SCE power plant. Some of that water is then diverted for delivery to water rights holders, but (more…)