Is Mono Lake protected?
• A: Mono Lake enjoys a greater measure of protection today than at any time since water diversions began. In 1994, the California State Water Resources Control Board issued its decision on Mono Lake. The Water Board’s Decision 1631 (D.1631) set minimum flows for the streams, set limits on water exports designed to allow the lake level to rise and stabilize at an elevation of 6,392 feet above sea level, and ordered the L.A. Department of Water and Power (DWP) to restore stream and waterfowl habitat. While D.1631 provides enormous protection, it does not provide the protection of law. It is a decision by a politically appointed body that could be modified in the future.
