What actions should Mono County take in response to the City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s plan to stop irrigation on 6,400 acres of land in the Long Valley/Crowley Lake area?

Dear Mono County Commissioners and Staff:
I never met my great-grandfather (Fred Eaton) or my grandfather (Harold Eaton) so I can't express their feelings about DWP's plan to remove water from Long Valley and Little Round Valley and likely create another Owens Lake. I am certain though that my father (John Eaton) would be appalled and devastated by this plan. I too am appalled and devastated to think of Long Valley being robbed of water. I know...my family was instrumental in the LA getting the water in the first place but that doesn't mean that today we think it is okay for DWP to continue to dry up the Eastern Sierra. Having grown up in Long Valley riding horses around Crowley Lake and all along Convict Creek, I can't imagine the devastation that would occur environmentally, culturally, and economically should DWP do what is proposed. If DWP wants to go back to how the area was naturally, then we need to get rid of the dam and return the land to the local tribes. But of course that is not what they mean.
Thank you for caring about these areas and for doing all you can to protect them. I commend the county commissioners and staff who are moving ahead with all the options including litigation.
Tish Eaton

There is no reason to select just one type of response to the LADWP action of dewatering Long Valley. The county response should be multi-prong and address the action from multiple directions. The historic theft of water by municipalities and power companies (in this case LA) far from the water source is not in the best interest of the California people. Commercial and government use of the state's waters should be reexamined in the light of new hydrological and climate studies. The green, water-rich valleys are important for wildfire retardation, quality of life for humans, as well as animal habitat. The riparian areas are also financial engines for local economies by encouraging the tourism industry. Municipalities and power companies should be required to finance water conservation through re-use and reduction of use of local water sources and power production from renewable resources. In the case of Los Angeles with its coastal location, access to desalination and green power technology, there should be no legal recourse allowing them to destroy long distance riparian areas/agricultural areas by hijacking the local water supply.

As one of the thousands of tourists that enjoy the natural splendor of Mono County, I was dismayed to read of LADWP's plan to restrict irrigation waters in the Owens Valley.
Source: (https://www.sierrawave.net/mono-ranch-lessee-supporters.../)

On our June trip to the Eastern Sierra I read article after article in local news publications regarding this issue and felt compelled to write in support of irrigation waters being fully allocated.

I join in solidarity with the voices of the Audubon California, Eastern Sierra Audubon Society and The Sierra Club Range of Light in advocated for continued irrigation for both the benefit of the ranchers and the protection of wetlands, species and their habitat.

I believe that if more tourists were informed of this issue they would stand in solidarity.
San Diego, like Los Angeles, requires we get our water from outside our counties. This does NOT mean we want places like the Owens Valley starved for water, while we water our lawns.

Perhaps those of us that live in urban and suburban environments should be mandated to restrict OUR wasteful irrigation for ornamental lawns before we restrict the irrigation of valuable habitat in the very valleys directly under the source.

Amanda Mascia
San Diego, California

My personal opinion is the LADWP needs to do the right thing and keep long valley green. They have already altered the region by diverting the natural water run off with the aqueduct system resulting in negative impacts on the environmental ecosystem. With realistic regards to their tainted local history (water wars) I now urge the LADWP to take the right side of history and recognize our concerns as citizens and our right to preserve the environment from further damage. Thank you.

Keep trying to get L.A. to do the right thing and then lawyer up if they don't. Check the scientific studies to see how much water is needed to maintain sage grouse meadows. Check with the Laceys and Kemps to see how much water is needed to maintain cattle grazing. Work with L.A. to get a number that meets the grouse needs and as much of the rancher's needs as possible. If L.A. won't get there, take them to court based on potential sage grouse T&E listing and rural economic impacts, plus the public trust values of wildlife and viewshed. The Mono Lake and Owens Dry Lake settlements are templates for Long Valley.

It is paramount that LA be made to continue watering Crowley and Long Valley ecosystems!!! Stay on these darned water grabbers who, in my opinion, are acting in response to state mandated rulings. They never give up, it seems, so we must never give up in maintaining critical environmental habitats. LAWP has a long record of dewatering our Eastern Sierra, and it has to stop. Sic 'em!!

Take them to court, please, and take the water back with all available speed. Only sharp and immediate legal action has worked before, and it needs to be a good bit faster this time to maintain any kind of health in the region under current drought and fire conditions.
This is insane and must be stopped.

Dear Mayor Garcetti,

I have been impressed that your goal is to have Los Angeles become water independent. I believe that this goal may seem outrageous to many, yet I know that setting standards high forces us to be innovative. I stand behind you and support you in this goal.

I am deeply concerned that you are disrespecting your legal, environmental, economic and cultural water commitments to the Eastern Sierra, especially Long Valley and the Crowley Lake area. I believe any changes to these commitments undermine your credibility and your ultimate goal of water independence.

Our family follows the motto, "If it's yellow, then it's mellow. If it's brown, flush it down." Do you do the same? Our family has a timer in the shower to make sure we keep showers short. Do you have a timer in your shower? Our family catches the water we use to rinse vegetables in a bucket in the kitchen sink and then uses that water to irrigate our vegetable garden. Do you have a bucket in your kitchen sink?

There is so much more your city can do in each individual household before you take more water from Eastern Sierra farmers and birds. Keep your word. Make LA water independent.

Sincerely,
Courtney Andelman
Property Owner, Mammoth Lakes, CA