Amid growing threats to our nation’s freshwater lakes—ranging from submerged litter to aquatic invasive species and harmful algae blooms—the Mammoth Lakes community has united in a regional partnership to protect the very waters that define the region.
Mammoth Lakes, Calif. (August 21, 2024)—Clean Up The Lake (CUTL) is proud to announce the successful continuation of its efforts in the Mammoth Lakes Basin this past month. In July 2024, the nonprofit and its volunteers completed a full circumnavigated cleanup and aquatic invasive species (AIS) survey of Lake Mary, the region’s most popular lake. This initiative resulted in the removal of approximately 2,000 pounds of litter from the depths of Lake Mary and confirmed that the observed plant species present are native to the area.
In 2022, Mammoth Lakes Tourism (MLT), the regional destination management organization, demonstrated significant support by donating $100,000 to CUTL to help raise matching funds for a four-year project to clean up Mammoth Lakes. Building on this momentum, CUTL established several new and impactful partnerships in 2024 to further advance this mission. The Mammoth Community Water District contributed a generous $25,000 donation, and the Town of Mammoth Lakes began supporting the effort through their Measure U funding. Additional partners joining the cause include the Mammoth Mountain Community Foundation (MMCF) and local sports shops, including Sun and Ski Sports and Kittredge Sports. In-kind support from Outbound Mammoth helped house staff and volunteers, while Pokonobe Marina and Distant Brewing provided event space for the project.
Partnerships like these are instrumental in driving meaningful environmental change. Often, nonprofits and government agencies face challenges executing the necessary work to protect our natural resources. However, significant progress is being made through this robust and collaborative partnership. Together, the team is actively removing litter from various lakes within the Mammoth Lakes Basin, conducting AIS surveys to detect and prevent potential infestations, and supporting the effort to monitor water bodies while on the lookout for the potential of harmful algae blooms. Thanks to special support from MMCF, CUTL also engaged three large youth groups of varying ages, educating and raising awareness among local children about preserving the lakes for future generations.
This initiative marks the second of four large-scale projects planned over the course of the four-year partnership between MLT and CUTL. “I’m thrilled to be working in the Mammoth Lakes Basin again this summer with a community that is deeply committed to protecting their natural environment,” said CUTL Founder & Executive Director Colin West. “This year, we are continuing our efforts to address underlying issues that have been overlooked in freshwater lakes across the Sierra, if not the world. This partnership and the work we are undertaking are essential to ensuring the health and protection of these vital resources.”
In total, the teams cleaned the entirety of Lake Mary’s subsurface shoreline and removed more than 1,865 pounds of litter, including an estimated 1,050 fishing line snags, during 13 dives conducted by volunteers this year. With last year’s efforts on Lake George, the teams have cleaned over 2,876 pounds of litter and an estimated 4,324 fishing line snags from Mammoth Lakes. “We are committed to protecting our most valuable resources here in Mammoth Lakes,” said MLT Executive Director John Urdi. “This work is critical to the health of our mountain lakes and sets a powerful example for locals and visitors alike to follow our lead.”
As the summer season winds down and the lakes freeze over this winter, Clean Up The Lake will continue planning and preparing to return to the region when the ice melts in the spring of 2025.
To learn more about Clean Up The Lake and explore donation, partnership and volunteer opportunities, visit www.cleanupthelake.org.
