Wednesday, August 1st, 2012 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
Policy Coordinator Morgan Lindsay leads Committee staff on a tour of the rock fall project area. Photo by Arya Degenhardt.
The California Department of Transportation has released plans for a highway project next to Mono Lake. The project will address rock fall issues for six slopes just north of Lee Vining on the west side of Highway 395. Careful readers of the Mono Lake Newsletter may be familiar with this new CalTrans rock fall project. You can read the complete back story on page 10 in the Summer 2012 (more…)
Sunday, July 1st, 2012 by Jessica, Information Center & Bookstore ManagercloseAuthor: Jessica, Information Center & Bookstore ManagerName: Jessica Ashley Title: Information Center & Bookstore Manager About: Jess stocks the store with educational, handmade, local, and ecologically friendly merchandise and keeps operations functioning efficiently. After working for a summer in the Committee bookstore, Jess joined the staff full-time in May of 2011. Jess' extensive retail experience and love of the Eastern Sierra make her perfectly suited for her role as Information Center & Bookstore Manager.See All Posts by Jessica (22) Contact Jessica
Devils Postpile. Photo courtesy of the National Park Service.
After last November’s significant wind storm, now appropriately called “The Devils Windstorm,” caused considerable damage to the Devils Postpile/Reds Meadow area, the sites are now open for the season.
The Reds Meadow shuttle service is running, and the Devils Postpile and Reds Meadow campgrounds are open. Check here for updates on other Forest Service campground openings.
The wind event occurred November 30 through December 1, 2011. Wind came from the northeast, reaching the valley at (more…)
Tuesday, June 12th, 2012 by MLC AdministratorcloseAuthor: MLC AdministratorName: 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 (4) Contact Mono Lake Committee
Check out this recent Los Angeles Times article for the latest news from Owens Valley, Mono Lake’s sister lake to the south:
Monday, June 11th, 2012 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
Last November the Sierra Nevada experienced extremely high winds that resulted in tens of thousands of fallen trees in the Tioga Pass, Reds Meadow/Devils Postpile, and Mammoth Lakes Basin areas. The mild winter and spring allowed Forest Service crews to begin clearing the damage right away, but it remains extensive.
Reds Meadow was hit particularly hard and remains closed to all public access by vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians (more…)
Thursday, May 31st, 2012 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
Last week an “iron ranger” was installed at Old Marina—it is a key piece of keeping the Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve open and financially viable.
Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve Interpretive Specialist Dave Marquart at Old Marina explaining how the new parking fee keeps the park open. Photo by Arya Degenhardt.
Visitors who drive to Old Marina can now deposit their $3 per-vehicle parking fee into the iron ranger and know that it helps ensure the park stays open.
Wednesday, May 30th, 2012 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
The Inyo National Forest welcomed a new Deputy District Ranger to the Mammoth-Mono Lake District in early May. Sarah Tomsky takes up the positionafter interim ranger Lesley Yen’s four-month temporary detail and former ranger Mike Schlafmann’s transfer to the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest in Washington state. (more…)
Wednesday, May 23rd, 2012 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
An exciting project called Digital 395 is bringing fast broadband internet service to the Eastern Sierra, and construction starts in the next few weeks. The fiber optic line is expected to “light up” in mid-2013, opening the door to many new opportunities currently unavailable in our rural area.
Digital 395 has successfully worked through the environmental approval process, and construction has started (more…)
Friday, May 18th, 2012 by Rosanne, Office DirectorcloseAuthor: Rosanne, Office DirectorName: Rosanne Catron Title: Office Manager About: Originally from Bishop, Rose's easy-going, friendly personality make her perfectly suited for her role as Office Director. Rose creates the complicated bookstore schedule, oversees the intern and volunteer programs, and keeps office relations smooth and happy.See All Posts by Rosanne (34) Contact Rosanne
State Park Ranger Jim Pence at Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve. Photo by Clare Cragan.
Friends, family, co-workers, and colleagues gathered on Saturday, May 12 to celebrate State Park Ranger Jim Pence’s retirement from six years serving in the Mono Basin, and over 32 years of State Park Ranger experience in California. Before serving at Bodie State Historic Park and the Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve, Jim (more…)
Friday, May 11th, 2012 by Jessica, Information Center & Bookstore ManagercloseAuthor: Jessica, Information Center & Bookstore ManagerName: Jessica Ashley Title: Information Center & Bookstore Manager About: Jess stocks the store with educational, handmade, local, and ecologically friendly merchandise and keeps operations functioning efficiently. After working for a summer in the Committee bookstore, Jess joined the staff full-time in May of 2011. Jess' extensive retail experience and love of the Eastern Sierra make her perfectly suited for her role as Information Center & Bookstore Manager.See All Posts by Jessica (22) Contact Jessica
This year’s Andrea Lawrence Award Dinner had a slightly different feel from last year’s, despite being in the same location (Mammoth Mountain’s Parallax Restaurant dining room) and honoring the same remarkable woman. Perhaps it was the warm spring evening that made the gondola ride to the top of the mountain a little bit more pleasant. Or maybe it was the relaxed laughter of Andrea’s family and friends as they shared happy memories of her constant determination and resolution.
Andrea Lawrence's family at the award dinner.
Regardless, the setting was perfect for recognizing not only Andrea Lawrence, but also the Bodie Foundation for its dedication (more…)
Wednesday, April 25th, 2012 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
In December 2011, a staff member at the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (DWP) wrote to the State Water Board and recommended that the ongoing scientific monitoring of the ecological health of Mono Lake be discontinued.
Alkali flies floating on the surface of Mono Lake. Photo courtesy of Jonathan K. Armstrong, PhD.
Here at the Mono Lake Committee we were, in a word, shocked. Not only is the program a condition of DWP’s water export licenses, it is also a part of a signed legal settlement reached between the Committee, DWP, and other parties over a decade ago. Most importantly, monitoring of the lake is the essential scientific tool for measuring the ecological health of Mono Lake and its (more…)
