As we've discussed before the legal settlement that requires the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to mitigate dust pollution at Owens Lake has resulted in the agency rewatering the dry area, and this has produced tremendous benefits for migratory birds, which are coming back to the lake in huge numbers. For this reason, Audubon California has named Owens Lake as one of the state's most vital Important Bird Areas. However, as the news report below indicates, birds aren't the main official reason for rewatering the lakebed, and some want to see the DWP deal with dust in a way that uses less water. Something to keep an eye on: