MONO LAKE

Mono Lake Basin and the surrounding watershed are a unique and geologically fascinating area. The tufa towers seen here are essentially common limestone. They are the result of calcium carbonate which settles as a solid over decades and can grow to over 30 feet tall. Their formation is totally underwater, and these are visible only because of the water diversions which began in 1941. http://www.monolake.org/naturalhistory/index.html for more. It's worth a look.

These towers just begin to rise out of the water.


The receding water level has totally uncovered these towers.