On April 1, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) and Mono Lake Committee staff met on the shores of Mono Lake to read the lake's water level. It is an annual ritual. It was 6379.99' (elevation); just one hundred of an inch below the level (6380') where LADWP would be able to export 16,000 acre feet (AF) of water from the Mono Basin. Mother Nature saved the day. LADWP is allowed to take only 4,500 AF this runoff year. It would have made a difference to the lake if they took 16,000 AF whereas 4,500 AF will not. The lake level might rise five feet this year with this huge snowpack and even exceed the level of 6384 that would keep the California Gulls safe from coyotes (until the next drought).

At the March 2nd Inyo/Los Angeles Standing Committee meeting, LADWP staff gave a presentation where they estimated the potential runoff this year, the problems that could come with an enormous runoff, and how they were addressing them. They said there might be 1,000,000 AF of water in the Eastern Sierra with this winter's snowpack. They plan to send 400,000 through the LA Aqueduct and spread or store 600,000 AF up and down the Owens Valley to recharge the aquifers and to prevent damage to their infrastructure. They will pump it back out in upcoming years. The LA Aqueduct's maximum capacity is just a smidge over 561,000 AF or 775 cubic foot/second. LADWP does not need the water this year, but they will take it and store it in the Owens Valley, probably this winter. Even though the D1631 State Water Board mandates that Mono Lake is to rise to 6392', LADWP would rather exert their water rights than start working towards the 6392' goal. The health of Mono Lake is not their concern.

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