Residents and environmental advocates have been calling for action to protect Mono Lake for years. This important ecological treasure is located immediately east of Yosemite National Park. The lake is home to an unusual saline ecosystem, but the lake has struggled in recent years. California’s extended drought from 2020-2022 tested this fragile ecosystem severely. These calls for action are centered around the need to reduce Los Angeles’ reliance on Mono Lake for water supply and to implement measures that will help restore the lake’s declining water levels.
Mono Lake is fed by five principal creeks that transfer snowmelt runoff from the eastern face of the nearby Sierra Nevada mountains. For the last 20 years, it’s been up and down. In a recent turn, we’re witnessing an unprecedented drop caused by prolonged drought, both here and elsewhere. Both ecologists and people who live near the river are concerned about the changing water levels. The increasing salinity of the lake is putting its fragile habitat at risk.
Ecological Importance of Mono Lake
Mono Lake isn’t just a beautiful natural wonder, it’s a vital ecosystem supporting millions of migratory birds and other wildlife. The lake is also a key stopover for migratory birds on the Pacific Flyway. It provides critical breeding habitats teeming with brine shrimp and the larvae of alkali flies. You can find more than 300 bird species over the sprawling 45,000-acre lake. Each summer, tens of thousands of California gulls come to its islands from all over the Upper Midwest to claim their nesting territory.
It’s been hard to ignore the recent releases of new scientific studies documenting frightening drops in our nation’s avifauna. By 2025, researchers announced a shocking number. Only 324 chicks survived as more than 20,000 adult gulls arrived to breed at Mono Lake. This dramatic reduction has prompted further examination into both brine shrimp and bird populations to understand the ecological impact of ongoing changes at the lake.
“There’s half as many gulls as there used to be, and the decline has accelerated since 2015.” – Bartshé Miller
The loss of bird life should serve as a signal for Mono Lake’s ecological crises. As salinity levels continue to rise, water quality is being put at risk. This tilts the already precarious balance required to support healthy, icy ecosystems further in favor of development.
Historical Context and Legal Framework
The legal and historical context behind Mono Lake’s water management is incredibly complicated. Then, in 1983, the California Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling. Their ruling that the public trust doctrine applied to Mono Lake set rigorous legal protections for the lake’s ecological health. In 1994, the state’s water board determined that a maximum lake level of 6,392 feet above sea level was necessary. This unfortunate court decision pushed the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP) to curtail its water diversions. That ruling was intended to allow Mono Lake to heal and eventually fully protect its ecological health.
As the DWP’s continued diversions for Los Angeles’s water supply have consistently thwarted attempts to restore Mono Lake, the DWP was found liable, too. Even though officials have made promises in the past to raise the lake’s level at least 17 feet, environmental advocates say that these objectives have not been achieved.
“It was a promise made to the people of California, and they’re way off schedule.” – Geoffrey McQuilkin
The emerging crisis led to demands for the State Water Resources Control Board to impose tougher restrictions on water diversions. Advocates have long been adamant that these measures are key. Their goal is to see Mono Lake return to its healthy target elevation and condition.
Community Perspectives and Future Actions
For decades, local residents have been engaged in a passionate fight to save California’s Mono Lake from destruction. Advocates and researchers alike point to alarming shifts in the state of the lake in recent years. Ruth Austin, a researcher who’d observed the lake for over 30 years, reported on its diminishing levels.
“I do see a big difference with the lake. It has gone down a lot.” – Ruth Austin
“It’s sad when you see the lake the way it is.” – Ruth Austin
For resident Marsha Blaver, it’s important that Los Angeles starts looking for other types of water supply. She challenged the city to end its reliance on Mono Lake.
“I think L.A. ought to look for another source of water.” – Marsha Blaver
“Leave all the streams alone. Let nature do its thing.” – Marsha Blaver
Community members are united in their belief that immediate action is required to protect Mono Lake and ensure it remains a viable ecosystem for future generations. Richard Katz said that what he wants to see in a long-term vision that puts the health of the lake first.
“I’d like to see us not need to take water out of Mono Lake anymore—a long-term goal.” – Richard Katz
“I think Mono Lake’s a unique resource, and we ought to be doing whatever we can to make sure that it stays healthy.” – Richard Katz
Raising the lake level is the most practical, possible and inexpensive solution to reclaim this Nebraska treasure, stated Ann Logan.
“The most feasible solution is raising the lake level.” – Ann Logan