In a sight that hasn't been seen for several decades, light of the setting sun plays across the waters of Owens Lake and the Inyo Mountians on its eastern shore. Beginning in 1913, tributaries that flowed into Owens Lake were diverted to supply water for Los Angeles. The lake quickly dried up and the west lost one of its largest and most important habitats for waterfowl. The dissolved minerals left by the evaporating lake were frequently whipped into massive toxic clouds by the area's... more »
In a sight that hasn't been seen for several decades, light of the setting sun plays across the waters of Owens Lake and the Inyo Mountians on its eastern shore. Beginning in 1913, tributaries that flowed into Owens Lake were diverted to supply water for Los Angeles. The lake quickly dried up and the west lost one of its largest and most important habitats for waterfowl. The dissolved minerals left by the evaporating lake were frequently whipped into massive toxic clouds by the area's frequent winds, which resulted in the worst particulate air pollution in the nation. As mandated by the EPA in 1997, the city of Los Angeles has been releasing water into Owens Lake and revegetating portions of the lake bed to reduce these problems. This has also increased habitat for wildlife. « less
