The Legacy of Owens Lake

The troubling saga behind the diversion of water from the Owens River in eastern California to the Los Angeles Aqueduct in the 1920's, causing catastrophic desiccation of the Owens Valley. Originally intended as a dust-mitigation measure, some water has recently been restored to parts of the lake-bed, fortuitously giving rise to a chain of local wetlands fed by springs and artesian wells. Birds and wildlife have come to rely on these wetlands and the Owens Lake is today recognized as an Important Bird Area by the National Audubon Society.

Produced by Susan and Dan Gottlieb. Featuring Andrea Jones, Peter Pumphrey, Mike Prather and Bill Van Wagoner. Co-directed by Erik Friedl and Ed Gutentag. Wildlife filmed by Erik Friedl. Interviews filmed by Ed Gutentag. Edited by Erik Friedl. Photo credits: Mike Prather, Andrea Jones/National Audubon Society, Ali Sheehy, William T. Reed, Charles W. Hull, Richard Ellis, Bill Bouton, LADWP, NASA.