Tufa
formation along the South Shore of Mono Lake near sunset.
Mono
Lake is one of the few remaining inland lakes in the Great Basin
between the Rocky mountains and the Sierra Nevada mountains.
Mono Lake is fed primarily from snow pack runoff from the Sierra
Nevada mountains in the form of streams and under lake springs.
The only way for water to leave Mono Lake is through evaporation.
Mono Lake has a chemistry unique in all the world. Within MonoÕs
waters are large concentrations of dissolved sodium salts of
chlorides, carbonates and sulfates.
Springs
opening into the lake on the lake bottom bring runoff water
that is rich in calcium. As the calcium from the spring comes
into contact with carbonates in the lake, a chemical reaction
occurs that creates limestone around the mouth of the underwater
spring. This limestone deposit slowly grows around the mouth
of the underwater spring building an underwater tower called
a "tufa". These Tufas continue to grow as long as
the spring brings water in contact with the lake. Tufa towers
grow exclusively underwater, and some grow to heights of over
30 feet.
Beginning
in 1941, water that would normally flow into Mono Lake was diverted
to supply water for the increasing needs of the Los Angles area.
This caused the water level in Mono Lake to drop dramatically
and exposed groups of tufas along the shores of the lake and
creating tufa islands.
The
exposed tufas are no longer growing. They are very delicate
structures that are slowly being eroded by the weather.
Mono
Lake, California