Owens Valley prepares for potential flooding

Park ranger Jeff Burton, center, oversees a group of volunteers during an archeological dig at the Manzanar National Historic Site in Independence. With record rain and snow in the area he is fearful that two local creeks could overflow into Manzanar and inundate parts of the site.

The iconic monument in the cemetery at the Manzanar National Historic Site. With record rain and snow in the area rangers are fearful that two local creeks could overflow into Manzanar and inundate parts of the site.

The irrigation gates and valves are ready on this slough that runs next to the Owens River.

Kathy Jefferson Bancroft, tribal historic preservation officer for the Lone Pine Paiute-Shoshone Reservation, stands in the middle of the dusty, saline Owens Lake.

Heavy equipment is in place to remove debris from the Los Angeles Aqueduct as it flows near Lone Pine.

Sprinklers are part of the billion dollar dust mitigation system in place in the dry and dusty Owens Lake. With a season of record snowfall in the Sierras, the Owens Valley is preparing for possible floods when the snowpack starts melting.

A DWP employee takes water readings March 25 on a tributary of the Owens River near Bishop. With a season of record snowfall in the Sierras, the Owens Valley is preparing for possible floods when everything starts melting.

Trucks still go about their daily work on the dusty Owens Lake. With a season of record snowfall in the Sierras, the Owens Valley is preparing for possible floods when the snowpack starts melting.

Lone Pine Peak, left, and other peaks in the Eastern Sierra are still covered with snow in late March.