Check out the Sacramento Bee’s Public Eye column article on the Mono Lake dust storms by Tom Knudson. Mono Lake Committee Members can see full details on the dust storms in Greg Reis’ Lakewatch article in the current issue of the Mono Lake Newsletter online.

Dust billowed across Paoha Island on December 6, 2009 -- shortly after November's record-setting dust storms. Photo by Arya Degenhardt.

Paoha Island on January 29, 2010, a calm day at Mono Lake -- the difference in air quality is clear. Photo by Elin Ljung.

Natalie Holt enjoying a Sierra stream. Photo courtesy of Natalie Holt.

Two years ago, Natalie Holt spent much of her summer volunteering for the Mono Lake Committee—leading tours and helping with a variety projects in the office. More recently, for her senior high school project, Natalie created  a seven-minute film called “Environmental Identity,” featuring our very own Communications Coordinator Elin Ljung!

In the film Natalie interviews Elin, a park ranger, an Earth First activist, and the owner of a green products store, asking what motivates, inspires and concerns (more…)

Mono Lake
On April 1st, 2009 (the beginning of this Runoff Year), Mono Lake was at an elevation of 6382.5 feet. It dropped about a foot by the end of the calendar year, and in January and February it rose half a foot, for a net loss of 0.6 feet since last April 1st. The half-foot rise in January and February is the largest 2-month wintertime rise since a 0.6 foot rise in January and February 2006. Mono Lake usually rises 0.1 foot in March–if it does that this month, we should be looking at an April 1st level of about 6382.0 feet. Click here for more on Mono Lake’s levels.

Lee Vining Precipitation
Here in Lee Vining, from October through February we’ve received 11.72 inches of precipitation, which is 108% (more…)

Beavers were introduced into Lundy Canyon long ago, and in recent years have been spreading to other nearby creeks such as Wilson Creek and DeChambeau Creek. Dead beavers have been seen more than once in the last several years along Mono Lake between Old Marina and Lee Vining Creek.

About three weeks ago we were informed by Dr. Roland Knapp of beaver sign along Lee Vining Creek below the diversion dam. Friday morning I took the photos found here–click on a photo to (more…)

In addition to our seasonal positions for the upcoming summer, we are now hiring for one of our full-time, year-round positions—Information Center & Bookstore Manager. If you or someone you know may be interested, now is the time to apply. For a detailed job description visit our jobs web page.

The Mono Lake Committee staff in front of the Information Center & Bookstore.

The film “Sympathy for Delicious” was one of the “15 buzziest films at Sundance,” according to online news source The Daily Beast. You can see an image from the movie, which stars actor Orlando Bloom.

One might ask … how does “Sympathy for Delicious” relate to Mono Lake?

Well, just about one year ago, the Mono Lake Committee got a call from the set, requesting a large order of our stainless steel klean kanteen water bottles. Director Mark Ruffalo had seen a bottle owned by the costume designer, and wanted to provide his cast and crew with an alternative to plastic water bottles. A few days later, we saw photos on the internet of the actors with our bottles!

Watch for “Sympathy for Delicious” coming to your local theater, and see if you can spot a bottle either in the movie or in the credits.

Mono Lake Committee policy staff Geoff and Lisa traveled south to Bishop recently to hear David Freeman (interim General Manager of the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power) expand upon his proposal to use LA land in the Eastern Sierra to generate solar power. The LA Times published an article about that meeting today—LA takes a shine to another Owens Valley product: sun. Look for the Committee’s take on the solar park proposal in the upcoming issue of our Newsletter, which goes to press within the week!

"Lundy Canyon Fall" is one of the images on display in the Committee gallery. Photo courtesy of Robb Hirsch.

Field biologist by trade, naturalist by heart, and photographer by passion, Robb Hirsch has traveled through Africa, Central America, and the Western United States. He enjoys spending extended periods of time in the backcountry to experience the natural history of the ecosystem at hand; his photography is an extension of this love for the natural world. Scouting locations incessantly, Robb attempts to combine alluring locations and complementary illumination. His images are known for their compelling subjects, careful compositions, and fine light.

Robb’s exhibit in the Committee gallery focuses on Mono Lake, the Eastern Sierra, and Yosemite. Stop by and take a look!

Could these Wilson's Phalaropes be a few feet from a shadow biosphere?

Last week the Royal Society in London hosted a discussion meeting about the detection of extra-terrestrial life and the consequences for science and society. During the symposium/discussion Dr. Paul Davies (University of Arizona) presented a webcast lecture The eerie silence: are we alone in the universe? In this webcast he discussed the progress of SETI and the continuing, albeit thus far, quiet search for intelligent life beyond earth. But what of any (more…)

We are all getting bulked up on the white stuff. Yesterday I spent six hours shoveling between my roof and the berm left by the snow plow. It’s a pleasure to see this much snow, and it’s the first time in a while that this much has fallen around Mono Lake. We measured 33.2″ from Monday to Friday this week at our weather station here in Lee Vining. Thursday’s storm (1-21-2010)  set all-time low barometric pressure records for the San Joaquin Valley, to Reno, to Las Vegas. I don’t know if there’s an official barometer for Lee Vining, but the pressure dropped to just above 983 millibars/29.04 inches on one local weather station, the the lowest I’ve ever seen it.

A view to the north from the south-bound lanes of Highway 395, through the middle of Lee Vining.