“2014 marks the 20th anniversary of State Water Board Decision
1631 that mandated lake level rise for Mono Lake and restoration
of Mono’s tributary streams and waterfowl habitat. For the last
20 years the Mono Lake Committee has embraced D1631 and the
subsequent restoration orders as if they were family members.”
“Conventional wisdom says that in life it is important to
celebrate successes. By all accounts, the Mono Basin Stream
Restoration Agreement certainly qualifies, so on September 30th
we celebrated.
“In truth, we celebrated a lot of things that day—starting with
the original State Water Board restoration orders that led us
to this day and have produced the results you can already see
on Rush, Lee Vining, Parker, and Walker creeks.
“The Mono Lake Committee is thrilled to announce the completion
of an innovative agreement with the Los Angeles Department of
Water & Power (DWP) that will result in a significant leap
forward in restoration of the health of fisheries, streamside
forests, birds, and wildlife on 19 miles of Mono Basin streams,
all without reducing water exports to Los Angeles.
“A key element of the agreement, reached jointly with CalTrout
and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, is DWP’s
commitment to modernize antiquated aqueduct infrastr
“Ending decades of bitter disputes over fragile Mono Lake, Los
Angeles and conservationists on Friday announced an agreement to
heal the environmental damage caused by diverting the lake’s
eastern Sierra tributary streams into the city’s World War II-era
aqueduct.