Description

This photo is from a trip to Mono Lake in California. This lake is located just outside the eastern entrance to Yosemite. Mono Lake is an ancient saline lake home to trillions of brine shrimp, millions of birds, and world-famous tufa towers, its tributary streams also supply water to Los Angeles, nearly 350 miles to the south. For many years water was diverted at alarming levels to supply LA and caused Mono Lake to all but disappear. The Tufas are a beautiful, striking reminder of finding balance between human need and nature’s safety. The tufts at Mono Lake formed underwater. Beneath Mono Lake, calcium-rich freshwater springs seep up from the lake bottom and mix with lake water rich in carbonates (think baking soda). As the calcium comes in contact with the carbonates in the lake, a chemical reaction occurs, resulting in calcium carbonate, or limestone. The calcium carbonate precipitates around the spring, and over the course of decades to centuries, a tufa tower will grow. Tufa towers can grow to heights of over 30 feet underwater. These amazing "growing rocks" are exposed now because of all the water that has NOT made it to Mono Lake since water began being diverted in 1941.

A portion of all proceeds from this print will benefit the Mono Lake Committee, a non-profit citizens’ group dedicated to protecting and restoring the Mono Basin ecosystem, educating the public about Mono Lake and the impacts on the environment of excessive water use, and promoting cooperative solutions that protect Mono Lake and meet real water needs without transferring environmental problems to other areas.

Museum-quality posters made on thick and durable matte paper. Add a wonderful accent to your room and office with these posters that are sure to brighten any environment.

• Paper thickness: 10.3 mil
• Paper weight: 5.57 oz/y² (189 g/m²)
• Giclée printing quality
• Opacity: 94%