Mono Lake, California

[digidog]

I thought the snow on the Sierra mountains made a great backdrop to the tufas (that's what they call those weird mineral deposits that are a characteristic of this lake) in the lake. I'm going to have to try and get back to this place as it is made for photography (although talking to the ranger there it sounded like the lake level was slowly being allowed to fill due to increased demand for water from LA).

The jpeg is a little flaky in places but hopefully not too distracting:
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/digidog/Misc/ml2.jpg

[sparker1]

Very nice shot, digidog. I've been there, unfortunately when cloudy. Looks like you had a perfect day. If LA is taking more water, the lake would be receding (that's why it got so low over the past 60 years). If it is really getting deeper, there must be another explanation.

[digidog]

Thanks for looking sparker1 - it was a beautiful day. You're right, my logic was a bit warped wasn't it. I went and did a bit of reading and I think the story is actually that water demand from LA has been taking water out of the rivers that feed the lake and the water level has been going down over the years. Now there is a big push to stop this (the lake is an important breeding area for California gulls and others) and the level is going back up again. I guess that means that the tufas will get shorter and less dramatic?

[sparker1]

Good research, digidog. I'm sure you realize the tufa forms underwater, so more water means more tufa. On the other hand, we can't see them underwater. If LA had not taken the water supply from the lake, the tufa may never have become available to us.

[Skip Souza]

I just love it when everybody is right. Beautiful photo digidog. The snow in the backround does improve the pic. Perhaps cropping out some of the sky could make it more dramatic.

[digidog]

On the other hand, we can't see them underwater.

Might need to buy an underwater housing in future :)

Thanks Skip!