Western Nevada's Walker Lake

Located in western Nevada's Great Basin near Hawthorne, Walker Lake is a natural lake fed from the north by the Walker River. The lake has no natural outlet. The name in the Northern Paiute language is Agai Pah, or "trout lake".  Unfortunately, after more than a century of irrigation diversions from the Walker River, the lake is in a state of ecological collapse due to inflow reduction and resulting higher salt concentration, and no longer supports fish life. Since the 1850s, Walker Lake has declined 90% in volume and 50% in surface area. Hopefully, focus on restoration and conservation efforts beginning in 2002 to acquire Walker River water rights may provide some benefit to protecting and replenishing the lake.