Human History

The Mono Lake story, as it relates to excessive water diversions by the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power and the Mono Lake Committee, is by no means the only celebrated human story in the Mono Basin. The Mono Lake Kutzadika’a Tribe have lived at Mono Lake since time immemorial and still live in the Mono Basin today. Prospectors and pioneers arrived in the mid-1800s, long before the most recent water battle got started.

A Kutzadikaa Paiute woman wearing a long dress and bandana in her hair holds a large, shallow basket as she stands knee-deep in Mono Lake scooping up alkali fly pupae.

Kutzadika’a Tribe

Buildings and mining infrastructure at Bodie State Historic Park.

Pioneers & Miners

Group of about 50 people with hand-painted signs and Mono Lake T-shirts and many with bike helmets on pouring water from bottles and vials into Mono Lake.

Saving Mono Lake

Visit Mono Lake from Home

Watch The Mono Lake Story film

Learn more about the natural and political history of Mono Lake.

WATCH

Self-guided tour of South Tufa

Learn about Mono Lake on your own schedule and at your own pace.

LEARN MORE

Live Mono Lake webcams

See multiple live views of Mono Lake from wherever you are.

WEBCAMS

Top photo by Bartshe Miller.