This Year's LADWP Pumping Plan

Every April 20th, per the Long Term Water Agreement, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) releases its annual report with their plan on how much groundwater they will pump and from where. With this huge, unprecedented runoff year, you'd think LADWP wouldn't need to pump at all, but they are. The water streaming down out of the Sierra will be almost one million acre-feet. That is double the capacity of the LA Aqueduct. Read more...
 

---

What is the Proposed BLM Rule?

The BLM calls it the Public Lands Rule. Others call it the Conservation and Landscape Health Rule or the Healthy Lands Rule. It is exciting to see the BLM declare conservation a use and elevate conservation on a par with other uses of BLM land. While this rule, if adopted, won't change anything immediately, it does provide ways to better protect high-value conservation lands in the future. Read more...

---

The 15th LORP Annual Report

It has been 16.5 years since water came down the Owens River to the Owens Lake. Is it time to celebrate? Not quite. While it is great to have the river back, it isn't a healthy river system. This is a critical year in that monitoring activities related to the riverine system will stop unless adaptive changes are made that might need continued monitoring to see if they are working. Read more...

---

The Whiskey Tango Fondo Ride!

As a fundraiser for the Sierra Club, Phil Gaimon, a well-known cyclist, and his team put on a cycling event in the Owens Valley on April 29th. This was the first 100-mile cycling event put on in the Owens Valley and drew people from as far away as Canada and Washington state to take on the challenge. There were 500 entrants and three course options that started in Independence and went as far as De La Cour Ranch and Diaz Lake: 100-mile, a 70-mile, and a 50-mile course.  Read more...

---

Exploratory Drilling Updates

There are five different gold exploration companies planning to drill in the Eastern Sierra. Three are in the Bodie Hills and can start any time after July 15: Bald Peak (helicopter access to the Dry Lakes Plateau), Sawtooth Ridge (behind the Aurora Cemetery), and Spring Peak (behind Cedar Hill at the northeast end of Mono Lake). A fourth will be drilling near Hot Creek and will start sometime after August. This project was challenged and there is an appeal hearing scheduled for August 25. A decision on the appeal will come later. Read more...

---

Pinyon Jay Survey - Birders, Naturalists, You Can Help!

The Great Basin Bird Observatory has an app where you can enter your observations of pinyon jays. Pinyon jays are in serious decline--their numbers are down 83% from the late 1960s. As their name indicates, they rely on pinyon woodlands such as we have in the Eastern Sierra. They forage on pinyon pine nuts, but they also eat insects. Like the Clark's Nutcracker, they cache nuts. Those they don't come back for might turn into pinyon pine trees. Read more...

---

Volunteer to Help with Communications

We are looking for volunteers to help us with:

- Leading hikes
- Building and sending our eNewsletter (like this one you're reading now) and other emails
- Updating and managing our website
- Posting on our social media accounts - Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter

If you're interested please email rangeoflight.sc@gmail.com.

---

Upcoming Events

June Lake Ridge Hike
July 7, 2023
8:30 am - 12:30 pm
Hike the June Lake ridge to the ski area with spectacular views of the basin's many lakes and beyond.

Convict Lake Hike
July 12, 2023
8:00 - 11:00 am
Hike the north side of Convict Lake towards Mildred Lake, with vistas of Convict Lake and beyond.

---

395 Cleanup

A big thank you to everyone that came out and helped us cleanup our section of the Highway 395 Adopt-a-Highway!

The winner for the best trash removed is this bride bag. Stay tuned for future cleanups!

---

If you would like to help us protect the environment, contact us. We'd love to have your help and input! Thank you!