The Owens Dry Lake is about 110 square miles, a portion of which is covered by a remnant brine pool. LA is responsible for mitigating dust on about 42 square miles of the terrain. ; Credit: Molly Peterson/KPCC
A new agreement between the City of Los Angeles and the Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District will shift dust control measures over Owens Lake to waterless methods, a move that will save the city millions of dollars and billions of gallons of water on an annual basis while maintaining air quality standards for Owens Lake and Owen Valley.
Due to the construction of the Los Angeles Aqueduct and its water gathering activities, dust control methods had to be implemented to protect the air for wildlife and residents, and this agreement has come after years of negotiations. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) uses 25 billion gallons of water annually to control dust at Owens Lake, and the Department expects to save almost 3 billion gallons from the revised measures, enough water to serve 43,000 people. During the past 15 years, the program has already eliminated over 90% of the excess blowing dust.
Can the Owens ecosystem handle more water coming south? Did one side get more out of this deal? And as the drought continues, how can elected officials find ways to save water (and money)?
Guests:
Mike Feuer, Los Angeles City Attorney who announced the settlement this morning with Mayor Eric Garcetti
Molly Peterson, KPCC’s environment correspondent
Mike Prather, the Owens Lake advocate for the Eastern Sierra Audubon