Deep Springs, California

The lake within Deep Springs Valley, Deep Springs Lake, is also a rich source of evaporite minerals and mining material. However, Deep Springs Lake is under-utilized because nearby Owens Lake provides a more accessible source for mining.{{Cite web |title=Deep Springs Lake Ecological Reserve |url=https://wildlife.ca.gov/Lands/Places-to-Visit/Deep-Springs-Lake-ER#55833127-history |access-date=2024-10-23 |website=wildlife.ca.gov}}

The springs are used for irrigation for agricultural operations and livestock in the area. There are several levees and ditches surrounding the lake that are presumed to improve the quality of life for grazing livestock and wildlife. The majority of the agriculture in the area is done by the students of Deep Springs College. The natural springs are also the main source of drinking water for the local area and Deep Springs College to meet daily water consumption needs.{{Cite web |title=Deep Springs College – Prepare for a life of service |url=https://www.deepsprings.edu |access-date=2024-10-23 |website=www.deepsprings.edu}}

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For thousands of years, the Deep Springs Valley Paiute, a distinct subgroup of the Northern Paiute people, inhabited the area. They established traditional cultural practices and separated themselves from other Paiute groups in nearby Owens and Fish Lake valleys.{{Cite web |title=Eastern California Museum {{!}} Inyo County California |url=https://www.inyocounty.us/residents/things-to-do/eastern-california-museum |access-date=2024-10-23 |website=www.inyocounty.us}} Living in this remote and arid region, they adapted to the environment by developing an expansive knowledge of local plants, water sources, and hunting methods. They lived in the valley long before Euro-American settlers started to move into the area during the 20th century.{{cn|date=January 2025}}

The Deep Springs Valley Paiute made use of a strategy called "annual round", where the movements and activities of a group of people were dependent upon seasonal availability of resources.{{Cite web |title=Natural History of the White-Inyo Range "d0e33239" |url=https://publishing.cdlib.org/ucpressebooks/view?docId=ft3t1nb2pn;chunk.id=d0e33239;doc.view=print |access-date=2024-10-23 |website=publishing.cdlib.org}} During the fall and winter, they gather seeds, roots, and pine nuts, and hunt large game, including deer and mountain sheep. Survival involved their ability to adapt to the harsh environment and to efficiently exploit local resources. In particular, it was essential to their food supply that the pine nut harvest provided them with sustenance through the winter months.

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Deep Springs Valley is specifically marked as an "Important Bird Area" by the Eastern Sierra Audubon Society however, the notable wildlife extends to amphibians, insects, and mammals as well.{{Cite web |title=Deep Springs Valley IBA {{!}} Eastern Sierra Audubon |url=https://esaudubon.org/birds/iba/deep_springs_valley.php |access-date=2024-10-22 |website=esaudubon.org}} Some notable species include, the Western snowy plover (Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus) and the Black toad (Anaxyrus exsul).{{Cite web |title=Deep Springs Lake Ecological Reserve |url=https://wildlife.ca.gov/Lands/Places-to-Visit/Deep-Springs-Lake-ER |access-date=2024-10-22 |website=wildlife.ca.gov}} The black toad is only found within the Eastern Sierra region, at an estimated population of around 7800-9700. The Deep Springs Valley wetlands are surrounded by desert, making it impossible for the black toad and other native species that rely on water to expand beyond that area.{{Cite web |title=Amphibian Conservation - Black Toad |url=https://wildlife.ca.gov/Regions/6/Conservation/Amphibians/Black_Toad |access-date=2024-10-23 |website=wildlife.ca.gov}} As for the snowy plover and other migratory species, Deep Springs Valley provides a sanctuary of water and resources, as they begin flying south for the fall and winter months. The wetlands surrounding Deep Springs Lake as well as the marshier areas within the valley contribute to a more diverse ecosystem with an otherwise dry and arid climate.

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Deep Springs is also home to an assortment of plants. Around the main circle, there are lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) and mullein (Verbascum thapsus). In rocky areas, there are beavertail cactus (Opuntia basilaris), desert prince's-plume (Stanleya pinnata), and indigo bush (Psorothamnus arborescens var. minutifolius). On the dry valley floor, there is fourwing saltbush (Atriplex canescens) and hopsage (Grayia spinosa). On the wetter valley floor, there are rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus greenei and viscidiflorus), antelope bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata var. glandulosa), and sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp. tridentata).

Deep Springs Valley has a semi-arid desert climate with hot, dry summers and cold, dry winters—very similar to surrounding areas.

In the summer, temperatures at the Deep Springs reach maximums around {{convert|91.8|F|C}} and minimums around {{convert|54.1|F|C}}.{{Cite web |title=Deep Springs College, California: Climate and Daylight Charts and Data |url=https://www.climate-charts.com/USA-Stations/CA/USC00042331.html |access-date=2024-10-23 |website=www.climate-charts.com}} In the winter, temperature maximums reach around {{convert|51.3|F|C}} and minimums around {{convert|7.7|F|C}}.

Year-round precipitation is sparse, with an annual total of {{convert|6.63|in|cm}}. Despite the low precipitation, occasional summer thunderstorms sometimes bring brief rainfall.{{Cite web |title=DEEP SPRINGS COLLEGE, CALIFORNIA Period of Record Monthly Climate Summary |url=https://wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliRECtM.pl?cadeep |access-date=2024-10-23 |website=wrcc.dri.edu}}

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• {{cite book|title=Springs of California|volume=338|series=U.S. Geological Survey Water Supply Paper|author1-first=Gerald Ashley|author1-last=Waring|publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office|year=1915|doi=10.3133/wsp338}}

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{{Inyo County, California}}

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Category:Unincorporated communities in California

Category:Unincorporated communities in Inyo County, California

Category:Springs of Inyo County, California

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