EPOW - Ecology Picture of the Week

The Mile-High Lake

Eagle Lake, California

Explanation:  Resting nearly a mile above sea level (5100 feet elevation) is alkaline Eagle Lake in northeastern California.  A popular recreation and fishing spot, Eagle Lake nonetheless has had its share of environmental concerns.

Eagle Lake is a natural lake, not an impoundment or a reservoir, and is home to bald eagles and osprey.  It has been hit by the past several years' extreme drought conditions that have wracked much of California.  Ultra-low water levels have spurred concerns for fish and fishermen alike, as the population of native Eagle Lake trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss aquilarum) -- a locally endemic subspecies of rainbow trout -- has plummeted.  

Reasons -- and blames -- for the lake's low levels are many, including diversion of water from a main feeder creek by ranchers; loss via a draw-down diversion pipe; increases in nearby vacation homes with wells that are reducing the lake's aquifer; low snowpack during recent drought years; and increased evaporation. 

A crowd-sourcing campaign has sprung up to help protect the lake's water level and fishery.