| Mono
Lake is located at the junction of highway 120 and 395 in California's
Eastern Sierra. Water that filled the lake was being diverted to thirsty
southern California. Water levels fell and revealed these strange formations
called tufas. Tufas are formed by minerals in ground water as it percolates
into Mono Lake. Tufas look like they are from another planet.
Bumper
stickers with Save Mono Lake were popular when I was growing up. The lake
is an important nesting area for the California seagull. The lake is rich
with food. There are times when the lake looks pink from the abundance
of brine shrimp. The shoreline is a buzz in sand flies that also help feed
the bird population.
The
lake is finally filling back up after years of legal battles. Go see the
tufas before they are once again underwater where they belong. |
