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Owens (Dry) Lake, California Owens (Dry) Lake in California is a beautiful place to be. The red dust swirling all around gives off a rich, vibrant sheen of color as the wind kicks up the dust. What one doesn't realize when one sees this dust is that it is highly toxic. Yet this wasn’t always the case. In the past, Owens Lake would overflow frequently to the south. It had done so like clockwork for about 800,000 years. During the late 1800s and early 1900s, the lake varied in depth between five and seven meters, depending on the day's conditions. However, as American settlement of the West increased, water began being diverted from the lake. Beginning in 1913, Owens Lake was diverted to Los Angeles for irrigation purposes, and by 1926 the lake was dry. Nothing remained of the lake but brine and hardy organisms that were able to survive in such saline conditions. As a result, all of the groundwater and land became contaminated. In order to regulate somewhat this contamination, the EPA has set a maximum contamination level of 0.005 milligrams per liter of water. Regardless, the contamination levels have climbed to 23 times greater than the federal health standard allows. The contaminated soils contain high amounts of PCE, or tetrachloroethylene. This chemical was found at the site in 1995. It is regularly used as a solvent in cleaning operations. Exposure to PCE can cause dizziness, headaches, sleepiness, confusion, nausea, difficulty in speaking and walking, unconsciousness, and death. Other side effects of this chemical are liver problems and increased risk of cancer. To combat the problem, the Environmental Protection Agency has declared the region unfit for habitation and began reclamation efforts. The land is being tested regularly and scientists believe that the land will again be livable in as little as 70 years.
Selected Bibliography Armstrong, Wayne P. "Why Owens Lake is Red." Desert USA. Weblink.
Reheis, Marith C. “Dust Deposition Downwind of Owens (Dry) Lake, 1991–1994: Preliminary Findings.” Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres 102 (27 November 1997): 25999–26008.
Owens (Dry) Lake, California Pictures in the Gallery 
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