Tuesday, July 26th, 2011 by Erik, Mono Lake InterncloseAuthor: Erik, Mono Lake InternName: Erik Lyon Title: Mono Lake Intern About: Erik first visited the Mono Lake Committee in September 2010. He learned about the lake's natural and political history as a participant of Whitman College's "Semester in the West," a hundred-day-long environmental field studies program focused on the politics, ecology, and writing of the American West. He quickly took great interest in water policy and hydrology, and is excited to be back for a second Committee internship to continue to learn about water in his home state of California. At Whitman, he finished up a bachelor's degree in Economics with a minor in Biology in 2012. When he is not at work, Erik can be found playing guitar, hiking, taking photos, and playing volleyball.See All Posts by Erik (2) Contact Erik
Phalaropes fly in front of tufa and the Mono Craters. Photo by Bartshe Miller.
Visit the shores of Mono Lake this weekend, and you’ll be in for a treat. Driving north of town along Highway 395, you might see shimmering clouds moving low over the lake in the morning sun. Make your way closer, perhaps down to the South Tufa boardwalk, and you’ll see that these clouds are flocks of tiny birds—phalaropes—that have stopped in at Mono Lake’s All-You-Can-Eat Fly & Shrimp Buffet.
Wilson’s and Red-Necked Phalaropes are here in numbers that have not been seen in many years, and the result is a spectacular (more…)
Wednesday, July 13th, 2011 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
As of late last week, Mono Lake’s elevation was 6383.48 feet above sea level. It has risen 1.2 feet since April 1st, and 2 feet since its winter low point in December. It rose 0.3 feet just in the last week!
Mono Lake has risen 8.6 feet since the September 1994 State Water Resources Control Board decision ordering the lake to rise to 6392 feet above sea level.
The 0.7-foot rise in June was the largest rise during a single calendar month since June 2006 and before that July 1995, and then three times in 1983: February, June, and December.
Mono Lake is now the highest it has been since September 2007. That year it dropped two feet during the second-driest year on record.
Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve staff and volunteers are moving signs and boardwalk sections out of the way as the shoreline moves uphill. It is about a foot-and-a-half away from 6385.1, the high point it reached in 2006 and 1999 and the highest levels since 1972.
Friday, July 8th, 2011 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
Lee Vining Creek continued to flow Thursday at exceptional levels following a July 5th peak at 535 cubic feet per second (cfs), resulting in a ten-foot section of the Lee Vining Creek Trail being washed out. It is on a steep hillside with a big drop from the trail to the creek. There is a short but steep detour above the washed out section.
Thursday, July 7th, 2011 by Sarah, Mono Lake InterncloseAuthor: Sarah, Mono Lake InternName: Sarah Melcher Title: Mono Lake Intern About: After a five-month hiatus in Spain, where she made it her goal to try the chocolate gelato in every city she visited, Sarah is back for round two as an intern to help with policy projects and stream monitoring. During the school year she attends St. Olaf College in Minnesota, where she studies sociology, anthropology, and Spanish, and regularly daydreams about the Eastern Sierra.See All Posts by Sarah (6) Contact Sarah
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…)
Friday, July 1st, 2011 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
Last week, Lee Vining Creek peaked on Thursday night, June 23, at approximately 536 cubic feet per second (cfs), according to preliminary data from the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (DWP). Southern California Edison is releasing additional water from Saddlebag Lake Reservoir and almost the entire natural flow from Tioga Lake Reservoir, which resulted in a very high peak flow on Lee Vining Creek. This peak flow was about the same as last year’s average daily peak flow, which had only been exceeded (more…)
Thursday, June 23rd, 2011 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
Thursday, June 23rd, 2011 by Russ, Canoe CoordinatorcloseAuthor: Russ, Canoe CoordinatorName: Russ Taylor Title: Canoe Coordinator About: Throughout the winters of the 1990s you could find Russ paddling the rivers of Florida and Georgia on 28-day canoeing expeditions with adjudicated youth. The summers he worked in the High Sierra as a wilderness guide, where he initially fell in love with the Eastern Sierra. He's spent a large portion of his outdoor career in canoes, this summer on Mono Lake and winters on expeditions in the Everglades. Also a freelance photographer and writer, Russ has lived in Ladakh, India, and Papua New Guinea and has traveled to over 30 countries. To see photos from Russ' travels, visit nomadruss.com.See All Posts by Russ (3) Contact Russ
Kristie Nelson of PRBO Conservation Science taking the crew out to the islands.
Each spring the Mono Lake Committee assists PRBO Conservation Science in doing a California Gull nest count on Mono Lake’s islands. PRBO, whose mission is to conserve birds and other wildlife, has been monitoring the population size and reproductive success of California Gull (Larus californicus) at Mono Lake since 1983. (more…)
Saturday, June 18th, 2011 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
Just a few minutes ago, at approximately 8:45am, Tioga Pass opened through Yosemite National Park. Visitors and locals alike can now access the high country through Tuolumne Meadows and get to the park’s western attractions easily. Please drive carefully through the park—watch for ice and water on the road, wildlife, and obey all posted signs. Enjoy your trip through Yosemite!
Friday, June 17th, 2011 by Russ, Canoe CoordinatorcloseAuthor: Russ, Canoe CoordinatorName: Russ Taylor Title: Canoe Coordinator About: Throughout the winters of the 1990s you could find Russ paddling the rivers of Florida and Georgia on 28-day canoeing expeditions with adjudicated youth. The summers he worked in the High Sierra as a wilderness guide, where he initially fell in love with the Eastern Sierra. He's spent a large portion of his outdoor career in canoes, this summer on Mono Lake and winters on expeditions in the Everglades. Also a freelance photographer and writer, Russ has lived in Ladakh, India, and Papua New Guinea and has traveled to over 30 countries. To see photos from Russ' travels, visit nomadruss.com.See All Posts by Russ (3) Contact Russ
Starting today you can make your summer canoe tour reservations on Mono Lake online. Simply click on the blue “Canoe Mono Lake” button on the home page and it will take you to the main canoeing page, where you click on the orange “Canoe tours” button. Once you’re there click on the date and time you want and you’re on your way to a great Mono Lake adventure.
Canoe tours begin on June 25th and run each Saturday and Sunday throughout the season until September 4th. (more…)
Monday, May 30th, 2011 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
Tioga overlook parking lot, Memorial Day 2011.
It was a cold and blustery Memorial Day at Tioga Pass, but that didn’t stop adventure- and photo-seekers from filling the Saddlebag Lake Road and Tioga overlook parking areas. About two inches of new snow sat on top of the older snowpack, with deeper drifts in places. Evidence of numerous recent wet avalanches was visible as cornices failed under the intense late-May sun. Gaylor Bowl was (more…)
