Owens Lake Groundwater Development Program

A component of the Owens Lake Master Project, the objective of the Owens Lake Groundwater Development Program (OLGDP) is to utilize groundwater from beneath Owens Lake to provide a portion of water demand for dust mitigation on Owens Lake in an environmentally sustainable manner.

To better understand the Owens Lake geohydrology, LADWP is utilizing an Adaptive Management Strategy for the development of groundwater at Owens Lake to ensure groundwater dependent resources are protected.

The plan is to implement OLGDP in three (3) Phases:

• Phase I is to develop a baseline which includes conducting a variety of studies to update the current conceptual model of Owens Lake groundwater system. Based on the studies conducted, a management plan is developed, and Hydrologic Monitoring, Management, and Mitigation Plan (HMMMP) is prepared. The HMMMP will support preparation of environmental documentation and in acquiring necessary leases and permits.
• Phase II is the start of groundwater pumping at a rate lower than what is determined to be sustainable while leaning more on the groundwater system and the effect of resources around the lake, and
• Phase III is full implementation of the groundwater pumping to supply a portion of water needed for dust mitigation at Owens Lake.

OLGDP commenced in 2014 based on the results from the Owens Lake Groundwater Evaluation Project (OLGEP), which was conducted from 2009 to 2012.