Mono Lake

Mono Lake

Mono Lake is a special lake in Mono County, California. It is very old, formed more than 760,000 years ago. The lake has no outlet, so water cannot flow out. This causes lots of salts to build up, making the water very alkaline.

Even with very salty water, Mono Lake supports a rich ecosystem. Tiny shrimp called brine shrimp live there and are a main food source for many birds. Every year, about two million birds stop at Mono Lake during their journeys. They eat the shrimp and special flies that live there.

In the past, the native Kutzadika'a people ate baby flies, called pupae, near the lake shore. Things changed when the city of Los Angeles took water away from the streams that feed the lake. This caused the lake level to drop and put the birds in danger. The Mono Lake Committee formed and fought for the lake in court. They won, and Los Angeles returned some water to help the lake recover.

Geology

Mono Lake is in the Mono Basin, a bowl-shaped land that does not let water flow to the ocean. Because of this, salts from rain and rivers stay in the lake, making the water salty.

The land around Mono Lake was shaped by powerful forces over millions of years. Cracks in the earth and old volcanic activity helped create the area we see today. Ancient volcanic eruptions left behind layers of rock and made nearby mountains and hills.

A very old lake, called Lake Russell, once covered more land than Mono Lake does today. Over time, changes in the earth caused the water to move away. The area still has some active volcanic features, showing the earth beneath is still moving.

Tufa towers

Tall columns of limestone rise above Mono Lake. These towers are made of a mineral called calcite. Calcite is a type of calcium carbonate. This special limestone is called tufa.

Mono Lake has very alkaline water, which means it has many special chemicals. Over time, these chemicals helped create the tufa towers at the bottom of the lake. When the water level fell, the towers rose above the water, forming the beautiful pillars we see today.

Climate

Mono Lake has a special climate that helps it stay alive in a dry desert area. Because the lake has no outlet, water stays and builds up salts, making the lake very salty. This salty water is home to tiny shrimp. The shrimp feed many birds that visit the lake every year. The lake’s unique conditions create a busy world for animals.

Limnology

The water in Mono Lake holds a lot of dissolved salts, about 280 million tons. The amount of salt changes with the water level. Before 1941, the salt level was about 50 grams per liter. By January 1982, when the lake was very low, it had almost doubled to 99 grams per liter. By 2002, it was 78 grams per liter and is expected to settle around 69 grams per liter as more water returns over the next 20 years.

Stopping the water taken from the lake changed how its layers mix. Before, the lake mixed its deeper and shallower waters every year, sharing oxygen and nutrients. Now, the deeper waters stay separate and have less oxygen. This change affects the lake's plants and animals. Mono Lake has gone through such periods before, with the latest one starting in 1994 and ending by 2004.

Mono Lake is a closed lake, meaning it has no outlet. Water only leaves when it evaporates or seeps into the ground, which can make the lake very salty. By studying the lake’s past water levels using carbon and oxygen, scientists can learn about past climate changes. During colder times, like ice ages, the lake level was higher because there was less evaporation and more rain. In warmer times, the lake level was lower due to more evaporation and less rain. The lake level has changed many times since the end of the ice ages, with its highest point around 1820 BCE and its lowest modern level in 1980 due to water being taken away.

Ecology

See also: Ecology of California

Aquatic life

The water in Mono Lake is very salty, so no fish live there. Tiny plants called algae grow in the lake and are the start of the food chain. The lake is famous for its tiny shrimp, called Mono Lake brine shrimp. These shrimp are about the size of a thumbnail. They eat the algae and are an important food source for birds.

Flies called alkali flies live near the shore and swim in the water. They are protected by small air bubbles. They also give food to birds.

Birds

Mono Lake is an important place for birds to rest and eat when they are traveling. Almost two million water birds visit the lake each year. Some of these birds are American avocets, killdeer, and sandpipers. Many eared grebes and phalaropes also use the lake during their trips.

In late summer, many Wilson's phalaropes and red-necked phalaropes come to feed before they continue their journey to South America or tropical oceans.

Some birds, like California gulls and snowy plovers, also come to Mono Lake to build their nests each spring.

History

The indigenous people of Mono Lake are from a band of the Northern Paiute, called the Kutzadika'a. They speak the Northern Paiute language. The Kutzadika'a gathered alkali fly pupae, called kutsavi.

The city of Los Angeles began taking water from the Owens River in 1913. This made the level of Mono Lake drop quickly. By 1982, the lake was much smaller. This change hurt the animals there. In 1978, people formed the Mono Lake Committee to help protect the lake. After many years, rules were made in 1994 to help protect Mono Lake and its water. Even so, the lake's level is still not as high as before, especially in dry times.

In popular culture

Artwork

In 1968, artist Robert Smithson made a piece called Mono Lake Non-Site (Cinders near Black Point) using rocks from Mono Lake. His wife, Nancy Holt, and Michael Heizer visited with him. In 2004, Nancy Holt made a short film named Mono Lake using old clips and photos from that trip.

A famous photo called The Diver, taken by Aubrey Powell for the band Pink Floyd’s album Wish You Were Here, shows someone diving into a lake with no ripples. This photo was actually taken at Mono Lake, where tall rocks rise from the water. The effect was made by having the diver stay underwater until the ripples went away.

In print

The book Roughing It by Mark Twain, published in 1872, talks about Mono Lake as it was in the 1860s. Twain wrote that the lake was in a “lonely, empty desert... the loneliest place on earth.”

In film

One scene from the movie Fair Wind to Java (1953) showing a volcano was filmed at Mono Lake.

Many scenes from the film High Plains Drifter (1973) by Clint Eastwood were shot along the southern shores of Mono Lake. A whole town was built there just for the movie and removed after filming ended.

In music

The music video for the song "Don't Know What You Got ('Till It's Gone)" by the band Cinderella in 1988 was filmed near Mono Lake.