Owens Valley is a site of political controversy that is associated with water rights and its current uses. Our visit to Owen’s Lake was a very informative experience, one that focused on how the lake once was and the Native American people who called it home. Firstly, the lake’s location is beautiful with two mountain ranges on either side which creates a majestic view from any angle. However, the lake is lacking in water which makes me think of past conditions and how the lake used to be before it dried up. LADWP is being blamed for taking the water out of the lake for Los Angeles city use and contributing to the water depletion. It is a major problem that is causing the lake to struggle with low levels of water which contribute to toxic soil build up with high levels of PM10. Dust mitigation has taken prime importance in the lake and has been the main focus for LADWP and there initiative to design areas to control dust clouds. Although there design initiative is about creating areas that control dust in the region, their approach is not being executed with care since the use of materials serve no aesthetic appeal and remain purely functional at best.
