Overview
Mill Site is an air monitoring station in Inyo County, California, operated by the Great Basin Unified APCD. It monitors air quality near Owens Lake, a major source of PM10 emissions.
Mill Site is an air monitoring station located on the east shoreline of Owens Lake in Inyo County, California, near Highway 136. Operated by the Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District (APCD), it is part of a network tracking particulate matter emissions from the dry lakebed, one of the largest sources of PM10 in the United States. The station reports to the Great Basin Unified APCD and provides data as recent as June 2025. While specific parameters measured are not detailed, typical monitoring at Owens Lake includes PM10, PM2.5, and meteorological variables. The station supports compliance with the US EPA National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for particulate matter, which is critical given the region's dust control efforts. Owens Lake was drained for Los Angeles water diversions, creating a dry lakebed that generates severe dust storms. The Mill Site station helps assess the effectiveness of dust mitigation measures, such as shallow flooding and gravel cover. Its data informs public health advisories and regulatory actions, protecting nearby communities and ecosystems from harmful air pollution.
Environmental context
The Mill Site station operates in a region with extreme PM10 pollution from Owens Lake, a dry lakebed that is the largest single source of PM10 in the U.S. The Great Basin Unified APCD implements dust control projects, and this station provides critical data on compliance with EPA air quality standards. Monitoring includes criteria pollutants like PM10 and PM2.5, with siting focused on downwind areas to capture dust plume impacts.
Frequently asked questions
The Mill Site station is located on the east shoreline of Owens Lake in Inyo County, California, near Highway 136.
The station is operated by the Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District (APCD).
Stations in the Owens Lake network typically monitor PM10, PM2.5, and meteorological conditions to assess dust emissions.
Owens Lake is a dry lakebed that generates severe PM10 dust storms due to water diversions. Monitoring supports compliance with EPA air quality standards and evaluates dust control measures.
The station operates under the US EPA National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for particulate matter, enforced by the Great Basin Unified APCD.
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