As my wife and I were driving south on Highway 395 in eastern California we topped a hill which revealed a memorable view. We pulled off the road at Conway Summit to enjoy Mono Basin, rimmed by Sierra mountains. The focal point of the view is the glimmering blue water of Mono Lake, located a few miles and 1,000 feet below us.
(Panoramic view of the Mono Basin from the viewpoint)
Mono Lake has no outlet so as water evaporates minerals remain. As such, its salt content has been increasing for centuries. The rate of salination rose dramatically in the 20th century as most of the water from this region was diverted (before it entered Mono Lake) to southern California, in an effort to quench Los Angeles’ thirst. The lake now has a salt content twice as high as the ocean. The absence of freshwater inflow dramatically lowered the lake’s level revealing unusually formed mineral deposits known as tufa.
Efforts have been made to raise the level in Mono Lake by allowing some of the water which historically flowed into the lake to return to it. We’ll see how this plays out over time.
