Legal analysis from Dean's Law Dictionary will be displayed here.

This section contains the nature of the case and procedural background.

In 1940, the predecessor to the California Water Resources Board granted the City of Los Angeles a permit to divert water from four of the five streams which flowed into Mono Lake. These diversions resulted in the water level dropping and the abandonment of the site by certain species of birds. The ultimate effect of the diversions was unknown, but it was apparent that the scenic and ecological value of the lake was endangered. The National Audubon Society sued on a theory that the diversion of water by the City was a violation of the public trust. The City's right to continue to divert water from the lake derived from the appropriative water rights system.

The legal issues presented in this case will be displayed here.

The court's holding and decision will be displayed here.