Mono Lake is a large, shallow salt soda lake located in Mono County, California, United States. It is 18,265 hectares (182 km²) wide and was created at least 760,000 years ago as a final lake in a basin. interior continent. The lack of drainage has caused high levels of salt accumulation in the lake. This salt also makes the lake water alkaline.
This desert lake has an unusual ecosystem based on saltwater shrimp that thrive in its waters, providing an important nesting ground for the two million species of migratory birds that annually feed on shrimp and aphids. also eat shrimp).
Negit Island
In the lake there are several islands and dunes such as Negit Island (Negit Island) and Paoha Island (Paoha Island) with an area of 9.1 square kilometers.
Mono Lake is one of the most beautiful natural resorts in California. And one of the most interesting and fascinating things that you can see is the beautiful stone stop stone tower.
Located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada and near the entrance to Yosemite National Park, Mono Lake offers a spectacular and unique setting with its diversity of wildlife and stucco towers. If you have set foot in the United States without visiting this place, it is a pity for you.
Mono Lake is of volcanic origin, but it was actually formed by the faulting of the earth's crust. The hills on the east, north and south sides of the lake are all descended from volcanoes that were active 350 years ago.
This area includes 14 different ecological zones, has about 400 species of vertebrates and more than 1,000 species of plants. As such it is one of the richest natural areas of the state of California. The lake has three-quarters of the ecosystem that is 1 million years old and the rest up to 3 million years old. Therefore, Mono is among the oldest lakes in the United States.
The remarkable beauty of the lake is the stalagmite towers formed from carbonate materials. When it was still hidden under the water, the stone condensate tower became a land bridge for many inhabitants of the lake. When the water level in Mono Lake drops, beautiful stone towers will be revealed. But besides its open beauty is hidden a threat to the habitat of the creatures in the lake because the water level is gradually receding due to the increased demand for water of the people living around.
Previously there were several islands in the lake and now it has become a peninsula with the appearance of new inhabitants, reptiles and mammals. Shrimp, once the most abundant species in the area, are also becoming scarce, as fertility is reduced due to high salt concentrations in the lake. At the same time, vegetation such as algae also decreases, threatening the survival of the species in the lake because the food source decreases. Particles generated in the lake through the air also become toxic to the surrounding environment.
Without the fresh water of the tributaries born of Mono Lake, people cannot exploit the water source arbitrarily, causing the lake's water volume to decrease by 50%, according to environmental researchers. fox. Over time, the water level of the lake has decreased, the original 25 m depth of the lake is no longer maintained. This means that many stone towers are exposed to the surface of the water, dry like petrified cactus. And with it, an ecosystem that has developed for thousands of years changes rapidly and suddenly.
People living near the lake began to notice this change and led the way in protecting the lake was David Gaines, he formed a committee to protect Mono Lake in 1978 and quickly got to work. this new. The results are quite positive, with the initial achievements being landmark. It is the efforts of the lake protection committee that water resources have been controlled. The order to protect the lake was officially implemented in 1994. Since then, the water level of the lake has gradually increased but has not surpassed the original threshold. The condensate columns appear more completely, while in the past it only appears at a certain time of the year, when the water level in the lake drops seasonally.
People come to admire the stone towers, but few know how they are formed, with strange shapes that are not like other ordinary rocks. Mono Lake attracts a lot of visitors, especially photographers who are attracted to this place like a magnet.
The best time to visit Mono Lake is early morning, to admire the beautiful stone tower majestically under the dawn sun or late afternoon to see pelicans and seagulls scurrying to rest on the mountains. stone tower. Whether you spend hours exploring the natural beauty of this place or just for a moment, just a glimpse is enough to leave your mind with beautiful images of Mono Lake.
