History of Payahuunadü
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2014
LADWP develops plans for an industrial solar array that would occupy 1,200 acres (1.8 square miles) just 3.5 miles to the east of Manzanar National Historic Site, which was established to commemorate the camp and experiences of more than 110,000 Japanese Americans who were incarcerated during World War II, 10,000 of whom were at Manzanar. The Manzanar Committee, who organizes the annual pilgrimage and has many LA ratepayers, joins with Tribes and environmentalists in Payahuunadü to protect the cultural, historical, and ecological values that would be impacted by the solar array. LADWP eventually cancels the project due to community pressure.
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2015
LADWP proposes to stop providing irrigation water to leased lands in Long Valley, pointing to drought conditions and water shortages. In response, the Keep Long Valley Green Coalition forms with allies from environmental, ranching, and Indigenous communities coming together in opposition to decreased irrigation on leased lands.
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2019
The State Lands Commission requires that LADWP develop a tribal consultation policy as a requirement of its lease for dust mitigation at Owens Lake. LADWP develops a vague three-page policy, which the Board of Commissioners passes despite a critical response by both tribes and state agencies.
2021
After a lawsuit filed by Mono County and the Sierra Club, the court finds that LADWP must complete environmental review before they can stop providing irrigation to ranch leases in Long Valley.
2022
The first annual Great Basin Water Justice Summit is held in Bishop, bringing together communities from Payahuunadu and other parts of the region opposing water extraction schemes.
2023
The Owens Valley Indian Water Commission completes the first Land Back initiative in the valley with the acquisition of a 5-acre property, which returns land and water to the Indigenous people and establishes the Three Creeks Collective.
2024
The Eastern Sierra Water Alliance is formed by the Owens Valley Indian Water Commission, Friends of the Inyo, and the Sierra Club to bring together water advocates in the region.
2025
The Patsiata Historic District, which includes the historic extent of what is now called Owens Lake, is recognized on the National Register of Historic Places due to its cultural and historical significance. This successful recognition is the result of years of work by local Tribal Historic Preservation Officers.
2025
The Kootzaduka’a Tribe purchases 160 acres of land, called Tupe Nobe, in the forested foothills above Mono Lake, with assistance from Eastern Sierra Land Trust. It is another monumental Land Back effort in the Eastern Sierra, while the Kootzaduka’a Tribe continues to fight for federal recognition.
reflections
What is something new you learned about this water era?
Is there something you think is important about this time period that is not included in the timeline?
What role will you play in the Era of Water Justice?