A close up of yellow wildflowers overlooking the teal waters of Mono Lake on a cloudy day.

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A woman crouches at the gray blue edge of Mono Lake and looks out towards the large black rock outcropping on the opposite shore.

Third-driest water year on record

At the Cain Ranch weather station five miles south of Lee Vining, where precipitation records go back to 1932, the 2020 water year was the third-driest on record. Only 47% of average precipitation, or 4.92 inches, was measured at that…

Green grasses line the still pond water, which reflects the light blue and pastel pink sky.

DeChambeau Pond #2 makes a full recovery

Throughout August, DeChambeau Pond #2 had a low water level, limiting its value to the wildlife that enjoy the US Forest Service (USFS) managed DeChambeau Ponds. On September 1st, USFS staff discovered that an unauthorized adjustment had been made to…

A close up of a gray bird sitting on a rock near green water.

Mono Lake Moment: American Dipper

I was lucky to capture this rare moment with an American Dipper, Cinclus mexicanus, along Lee Vining Creek. Dippers are the only songbird that swims, almost flying underwater to capture their aquatic prey. Find all the other Moments we have…

A person wearing a face mask holds a trash bag and some recycling in front of a table set up for a trash-collecting event.

Community comes together to clean up the Mono Basin

Last week across the Eastern Sierra, locals participated in the Facelift “Act Local” Cleanup to pick up garbage left by many visitors to the area during an unusually busy summer. The Mono Lake Committee joined California State Parks and the DeChambeau Creek Foundation to…

A pink and blue sunset fills the sky and is reflected in the glassy waters of Mono Lake. Small pieces of tufa poke out of the water and eventually lead to a group of tufa towers in the center.

Calling Mono Lake photographers

Submitting images for consideration for the Mono Lake Calendar has never been easier, so if you have a beautiful shot of Mono Lake, we’d love to see it! Now is the time—the deadline is Saturday, October 31, 2020, and you can find submission information…