Owens Lake

(CC) Image: Richard Ellis
Blowing dust at Owens Lake, California.

Owens Lake in Inyo County, California, USA, was once almost as large in surface area as the better-known Lake Tahoe between the California and Nevada state lines. Today it is infamous for the large amount of particulate matter that it generates, leading to air pollution. Charcoal kilns, steamers, a flyway for migratory birds, and local agriculture were once located at this desert lake. Now, however, Owens Lake is mostly a dry lake bed with small patches of water. This drastic change happened in 1913, after the lower Owens River was diverted into an aqueduct serving as a water supply for Los Angeles and created one of the largest man-made sources of air pollution by dust (particulate matter).

History

The Owens Valley, where Owens Lake is located, is part of the westernmost graben of the Basin and Range province where two almost vertical faults. To the west is the Sierra Nevada range while the Inyo-White mountains are located to the east. Formation of the valley began approximately 3 million years ago during the Pliocene period.

The area is seismically active and an estimated 8.0 earthquake in 1872 inLone Pine, California killed 23 people. Most of the buildings in Lone Pine were also destroyed. Volcanic activity is also reported in the area as the Owens Valley is part of the Long Valley Caldera. Volcanic eruptions of the Inyo Chain were reported as early as 600 years ago.

John C. Fremont explored the area and named the lake after his associate Richard Owens. Native Americans who lived in the area included the Paiute, Mojave and Shoshone tribes. By the 1860s settlers moved into the Owens Lake area. Silver miners moved to the area when silver was discovered at Cerro Gordo located in mountains east of Owens Lake. Cerro Gordo is considered a ghost town and is open to tourists.

Farming soon followed after the early settlers arrived in the area. Wheat, potatoes, apples, corn andgrapes were being grown in the area in 1910. 43,000 sheep were also raised by local farmers. Logging and a sawmill was built by Colonel Sherman Stevens in the 1870s. Lumber was used to build Stevens Wharf at Owens Lake. The wharf was built on the west side of the lake where the lumber was loaded onto steamers. The lumber was then ferried across the lake where it was unloaded onto adock.It was then loaded onto freight wagons, then taken to local mines.

Stevens also built a pair of adobe ovens that produced charcoal for the Cerro Gordo mines. The steamers Molly Stevens and Bessie Brady were used to carry ore from the mines to waiting freight wagons. The ore was shipped down to Los Angeles.

Water for Los Angeles

The City of Los Angeles buys up water rights between 1905 and 1907. Congressional funding was appropriated to pay for the proposed aqueduct project. Between 1910 and 1913 the Los Angeles aqueduct is built. On November 5, 1913, in the San Fernando Valley at the “Cascades” 30,000 Los Angeles residents gathered to celebrate the opening of the Los Angeles aqueduct. Bottles of Owens Valley water were distributed, speeches were made, and the aqueduct gates were opened. Water trickled forth.

By 1970 a second aqueduct was completed after theU.S. Supreme Court allocated more Colorado River rights to Arizona leaving Los Angeles searching for more water sources. The newly built aqueduct ran from the Haiwee, California reservoir just south of the Owens Lake dry river bed. After the construction of the second aqueduct, 70 percent of Los Angeles' water came from the Owens Valley area.

Air pollution

The lake emitted an estimated 79,200 tons per year of PM₁₀ (particulate matter 10 microns or less) according to a United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) study done between July 2000 through June 2001. That is equivalent to an average of 217 tons per day. During that test period, a peak value of 7,200 tons per day was encountered.

“Owens Lake is the largest single source of PM₁₀ in the United States,” states the Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the United States Federal Register state that Owens Lake is in noncompliance with established air quality standards.

The blowing sand and PM₁₀ air pollution has affected approximately 40,000 residents living near Owens Lake. Regionally the blowing dust and sand has affected United States Forest service employees and the navy base located atChina Lake. Nearby residents in Keeler, California reportedly are exposed to 25 unhealthful days a year while residents in the town of Ridgecrest, California experience 10 unhealthful days per year due to the PM₁₀ air pollution. Dr. Bruce Parker of Ridgecrest has been quoted as saying "When we see the white cloud headed down through the pass, the ER and doctors' offices fill up with people who suddenly got worse. It's a pretty straightforward cause and effect.”

As of 2006, PM₁₀ emissions and blowing dust were somewhat reduced after theLos Angeles Department of Water and Power allowed water to return to small sections of the lake and tributaries. Irrigation pipes andbubblers will help water 13 1/2 miles of lake bed. Saltgrass will also be planted to help alleviate the blowing dust and associated air pollution. As of 2008, the Owens Valley Planning Area, did not attain the 24-hour National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for particulate matter of 10 microns or less (PM₁₀) by December 31, 2006, as mandated by the United States Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (CAAA). In 2009, 3.5 square miles of saltgrass have been planted. Drip irrigation is used to water the saltgrass. Ponded water or sheeting water is used to help keep the dust down. The area covered by water is 27 miles. The total amount of area covered by either grass or water is 30 miles out of the 100 mile lake bed. An additional 9 square miles of ponds or sheeting is planned as part of the Long-Term Habitat Management Plan. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is responsible for applying these mitigation measures which was scheduled for completion in 2010.

As of December 17, 2010, the Owens Valley is classified as "Serious" by the U.S. EPA concerning the nonattainment of the NAAQS for PM₁₀ air pollution.