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two black and white Grebes bob on blue-green lake waters. Large hills and a blue partly cloudy sky in the distance.
Eagle Lake, California
Eagle Lake, California
Eagle Lake, California

Eagle Lake, located in northeastern California approximately 16 miles north of Susanville in Lassen County, sits at an elevation of 5,100 feet above sea level. It is the second largest natural freshwater lake entirely within California. Eagle Lake is within the Great Basin, with all incoming waters remaining in the lake without outflow.

Eagle Lake, located in northeastern California approximately 16 miles north of Susanville in Lassen County, sits at an elevation of 5,100 feet above sea level. It is the second largest natural freshwater lake entirely within California. Eagle Lake is within the Great Basin, with all incoming waters remaining in the lake without outflow.

a hovercraft sits atop a mudflat with mountains in the background
A hovercraft glides over the surface of Summer Lake, Oregon
A hovercraft glides over the surface of Summer Lake, Oregon
Looking north at a shallow lake water with reedy grasses sticking out. A large ridge with plateau on the left. Blue skies.
Hart Lake, Oregon
Hart Lake, Oregon
Hart Lake, Oregon

Around Hart Lake, hundreds of bird species either reside or stop during migration. Nesting species include sandhill cranes, American white pelicans, double-crested cormorants, willets, Wilson's phalaropes, gadwalls, northern shovelers, American coots, western grebes, Clark's grebes, black-crowned night herons, Canada geese, mallards, and various ducks and terns.

Around Hart Lake, hundreds of bird species either reside or stop during migration. Nesting species include sandhill cranes, American white pelicans, double-crested cormorants, willets, Wilson's phalaropes, gadwalls, northern shovelers, American coots, western grebes, Clark's grebes, black-crowned night herons, Canada geese, mallards, and various ducks and terns.

Small grey and white phalarope fits in one hand of scientist Andrea Mott.
Wilson's Phalarope
Wilson's Phalarope
Wilson's Phalarope

A female Wilson’s phalarope with 2-gram Sunbird PTT transmitter. Wilson's phalaropes spin around in the water to stir up invertebrates to snack on. Large flocks gather on terminal lakes in the American west before migrating as far as southern most South America.

A female Wilson’s phalarope with 2-gram Sunbird PTT transmitter. Wilson's phalaropes spin around in the water to stir up invertebrates to snack on. Large flocks gather on terminal lakes in the American west before migrating as far as southern most South America.

Tools rest on the white salty dry lake bed. Field sheets, caliper, scale, binoculars and others.
Banding station at Lake Abert
Banding station at Lake Abert
Banding station at Lake Abert

Research in the field means making the most of your surroundings! Scientist Andrea Mott set up this work station on the dry lake bed of Lake Abert to get the birds banded with GPS trackers close to where they were captured. 

Research in the field means making the most of your surroundings! Scientist Andrea Mott set up this work station on the dry lake bed of Lake Abert to get the birds banded with GPS trackers close to where they were captured. 

shallow 2 to 5 inches deep water with mud and silt visible below the surface.
Summer Lake, Oregon
Summer Lake, Oregon
Summer Lake, Oregon

Summer Lake is expansive and shallow, stretching approximately 15 miles in length and five miles in width at high stages, with an area spanning about 38,000 acres at an elevation of 4149-4151 feet. Despite its size, its maximum depth reaches only five to seven feet, though this level has seldom been reached in recent times.

Summer Lake is expansive and shallow, stretching approximately 15 miles in length and five miles in width at high stages, with an area spanning about 38,000 acres at an elevation of 4149-4151 feet. Despite its size, its maximum depth reaches only five to seven feet, though this level has seldom been reached in recent times.

Looking down a rocky shore with dessert grasses and shrubs. Lake waters are lined with reeds. Blue sky reflects on water.
Crump Lake, Oregon
Crump Lake, Oregon
Crump Lake, Oregon

Crump Lake is part of a 40-mile chain of lakes in the Warner Valley of south-central Oregon. This valley is a large fault-block basin, characterized by a series of marshes, shallow lakes, and drained meadows. The area around Crump Lake is home to many types of bird species, either residing there or stopping during migration.

Crump Lake is part of a 40-mile chain of lakes in the Warner Valley of south-central Oregon. This valley is a large fault-block basin, characterized by a series of marshes, shallow lakes, and drained meadows. The area around Crump Lake is home to many types of bird species, either residing there or stopping during migration.

transparent pink shrimp float against the light brown silt in shallow lake water
Brine shrimp in Lake Abert
Brine shrimp in Lake Abert
Brine shrimp in Lake Abert

Brine shrimp are an integral part of Lake Abert's ecosystem, contributing to its biodiversity and supporting many birds and other species. Brine shrimp have a high tolerance for salinity and are able to withstand freezing temperatures and are the lake's only winter residents.

Brine shrimp are an integral part of Lake Abert's ecosystem, contributing to its biodiversity and supporting many birds and other species. Brine shrimp have a high tolerance for salinity and are able to withstand freezing temperatures and are the lake's only winter residents.

many avocets flying with mountains in the background
Avocets flying above Farmington Bay Wildlife Management Area, Utah
Avocets flying above Farmington Bay Wildlife Management Area, Utah
Avocets flying above Farmington Bay Wildlife Management Area, Utah

The Saline Lake Ecosystems IWAA Waterbird Movement Project began tagging American Avocets in March 2023 to track their movements across the landscape. Tracking data from these birds will help scientists better understand why these birds choose to use the terminal lake and wetland habitats they do in the Great Basin.

The Saline Lake Ecosystems IWAA Waterbird Movement Project began tagging American Avocets in March 2023 to track their movements across the landscape. Tracking data from these birds will help scientists better understand why these birds choose to use the terminal lake and wetland habitats they do in the Great Basin.

American Avocet birds swimming in a lake. There is an adult followed by five chicks
American Avocet trailed by chicks
American Avocet trailed by chicks
American Avocet trailed by chicks

American Avocet are a bird that relies heavily on the Saline Lakes ecosystem during their spring migration periods. Over 50% of these birds exist here. Part of their use includes using the terminal lakes there to breed. 

Bird with bright yellow head and black body sits on branch sticking out of marshland
Yellow-headed blackbird
Yellow-headed blackbird
Yellow-headed blackbird

Yellow-headed blackbirds can be found in the spring and summer in the marshes of terminal lakes and wetlands. Common sightings occur in the Klamath, Summer, Malheur and Harney lake basins.

Yellow-headed blackbirds can be found in the spring and summer in the marshes of terminal lakes and wetlands. Common sightings occur in the Klamath, Summer, Malheur and Harney lake basins.

Two eared grebes facing each other in the water in The Great Salt Lake
Eared grebes engaged in a courtship behavior
Eared grebes engaged in a courtship behavior
Blue skies with white cloud streaks reflect on Walker Lakes blue waters
Walker Lake
Walker Lake
Walker Lake

Walker Lake is part of the Great Basin in western Nevada. Walker lake is a rest stop for many migratory birds including Common Loon, Snow Geese, White Pelicans, several types of Grebe, Brants and Harlequin ducks. 

Walker Lake is part of the Great Basin in western Nevada. Walker lake is a rest stop for many migratory birds including Common Loon, Snow Geese, White Pelicans, several types of Grebe, Brants and Harlequin ducks. 

Words of different text sizes and colors arranged into a cloud-like shape
Word Cloud: Key Mechanisms that Interconnect the Great Basin Landscape
Word Cloud: Key Mechanisms that Interconnect the Great Basin Landscape
Word Cloud: Key Mechanisms that Interconnect the Great Basin Landscape

This word cloud displays answers to the question: what are the key mechanisms that interconnect the Great Basin landscape? The exercise was conducted at a stakeholder workshop in 2022. Answers that were selected by many participants have the largest text size and are more central in the cloud. The most popular answers were: climate, water, birds, fire and drought.

This word cloud displays answers to the question: what are the key mechanisms that interconnect the Great Basin landscape? The exercise was conducted at a stakeholder workshop in 2022. Answers that were selected by many participants have the largest text size and are more central in the cloud. The most popular answers were: climate, water, birds, fire and drought.

Five rectangles in different colors contain text stating the five primary thematic questions
Saline Lakes Project Primary Thematic Questions
Saline Lakes Project Primary Thematic Questions
Saline Lakes Project Primary Thematic Questions

The Saline Lakes Team identified five primary thematic questions around environmental data collection activities or management needs: 1) How much water is there and how is it used throughout the watershed? 2) What are the hydrologic vulnerabilities of each saline lake? 3) What are the primary resources being utilized by representative taxa at each lake?

The Saline Lakes Team identified five primary thematic questions around environmental data collection activities or management needs: 1) How much water is there and how is it used throughout the watershed? 2) What are the hydrologic vulnerabilities of each saline lake? 3) What are the primary resources being utilized by representative taxa at each lake?

A map of the Great Basin with saline lakes labeled
Study Saline Lakes of the Great Basin Desert Area
Study Saline Lakes of the Great Basin Desert Area
Study Saline Lakes of the Great Basin Desert Area

A map of the Great Basin, including parts of Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Oregon, and California.

A map of the Great Basin, including parts of Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Oregon, and California.

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