Mono Basin Updates
Conway Ranch
Mono County is still struggling to come up with
sufficient funds to purchase Conway Ranch, the historic
ranch whose meadows spread out below the northern
entrance into the Mono Basin. To date, the County has
raised over a million dollars in open space grant funds.
These funds, however, must be matched by non-federal
dollars and the need for this additional money is
limiting the County's ability to purchase the land.
In July, the County formally requested Bureau of Land
Management assistance in purchasing the ranch. The BLM,
through a recent land exchange, is in a position to
acquire a $500,000 portion of the property.
As we reported in the last issue of the Newsletter,
the current landowner is the nonprofit Trust for Public
Land (TPL) which acquired the historic ranch from its
private owners. Now TPL simply is waiting to transfer the
property to Mono County--or to the BLM should that be
necessary.
Sailboat mooring raises issues about boating on
Mono Lake
There are no general prohibitions on boating at Mono
Lake, although the islands and a few tufa towers on which
osprey nest are restricted during parts of the year.
Still, few boats ply Mono's waters. They are deterred in
part by the lake's extreme salinity and alkalinity, both
of which are hard on motors and equipment, and by the
capricious and powerful winds that frequently arise in
the afternoons. Commercial operations are allowed, but
must operate under a permit. (The Mono Lake Committee
operates its weekend canoe program under a permit.)
Similarly, mooring or other "permanent" uses
also require a permit.
A Mono Basin resident has requested permission to moor
his boat near the newly renovated Tioga Lodge, two miles
north of Lee Vining near Highway 395. The request to moor
a boat on Mono Lake is nothing new; for the last two
summers, he has had a permit to moor his boat on the
southwest side of the lake. But the proposed location for
this summer's mooring is new--and highly visible to
travelers along Highway 395.
The Mono Lake Tufa State Reserve, which has permitting
authority, has decided to grant a permit for this change
in mooring for one year.
Although there is only limited boat use on Mono Lake
today, the recent request underscores that it may be only
a matter of time before the rising lake draws more
boating interest. Occasional boating is a historic use of
Mono Lake, but should future use outpace historic
use--what then? If and when these questions arise, the
Committee will urge the state to give the public an
opportunity to comment. For our part, we will look
closely at the potential impacts on wildlife and on
Scenic Area values, such as the experience of solitude.
And we'll keep you informed.
Lee Vining Community Center
The community of Lee Vining is closer to getting its
own Community Center, with the announcement that Mono
County received approval of its application for federal
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds. The Mono
County Board of Supervisors has set aside $150,000 over
the past several years for the project, since Lee Vining
is the only Mono County community without a community
center. With $206,000 of additional CDBG funds, the
process of design, bidding, and construction can now move
forward. The goal set by the Community Center Committee
is to finalize a design this winter and to start
construction in the spring. The Community Center will be
built across the street from Hess Park.
Restoring the Public Trust exhibit
The Water Resources Center Archives, recipient of the
Mono Lake Committee's historical papers, will be
presenting an exhibit titled "Restoring the Public
Trust: a History of Mono Lake in the 20th Century"
at the Mono Basin National Forest Scenic Area Visitor
Center. The exhibit features historical photographs and
documents highlighting the story of the diversions, key
legal decisions, and restoration of the lake. This small
and unique exhibit will be on display at the Visitor
Center during the month of September.
Community garden blooms
A former asphalt expanse is now the site of a
successful school and community garden project in Lee
Vining. Located to the south of the High School, the plot
has been planted with nitrogen fixing cover crops as well
as already plentiful vegetables such as snap peas,
broccoli, squash, and lettuce.
The project, headed by former Committee staffer Ilene
Mandelbaum, uses principles of sustainable
agriculture--including water conserving techniques--to
provide food and education.
Nibblers and gardeners are welcome to visit the site,
says Mandelbaum, and volunteers will happily be put to
work. Ideas for crops, techniques, and funding are also
welcome; contact Ilene at (760) 647-6644 or via email at monogreens@aol.com.
Return to Fall
1998 Newsletter
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