Sunrise light on a grove of tufa towers emerging from the water of Mono Lake with soft green and dusty-red wild grasses in the foreground, Canada geese in the shallow water with reflections of the rocky towers, and desert hills in the distance.

Refreshments with Refreshing ‘Ologists presentations return: Mike Prather to speak on August 8

Sunrise light on a grove of tufa towers emerging from the water of Mono Lake with soft green and dusty-red wild grasses in the foreground, Canada geese in the shallow water with reflections of the rocky towers, and desert hills in the distance.

This post was written by Joslyn Rogers, 2018 Mono Lake Intern and 2018–2020 Project Specialist.

Join us for this summer’s first Refreshments with Refreshing ‘Ologists presentation, next Wednesday, August 8 at 4:00pm at the Mono Lake Committee. Come hear longtime local conservationist Mike Prather speak about the hundreds of thousands of shorebirds and waterfowl that are once again returning to Owens Lake each spring and fall.

Wetlands and islands dotting Owens Lake, which is now a designated site of international importance for the hundreds of thousands of birds that arrive during spring and fall migration. Photo courtesy of Ray Ramirez.

Owens Lake dried up after being tapped by the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power in 1913, and has suffered from severe dust issues ever since. DWP released water back onto several square miles of dry lakebed in 2001 in the massive effort to control hazardous dust, and immediately attracted shorebirds and waterfowl. Water, primitive algae mats, brine flies—and the “table was set.” Owens has once again become a stopover for birds on their lengthy migrations.

Mike Prather has worked on environmental issues in Inyo County for the last 40 years. He is the current chair of the Inyo County Water Commission and a board member for Friends of the Inyo.

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