Lake Tahoe is an international treasure to those that live here, the millions that visit every year and even to those that dream of visiting someday. But protecting Lake Tahoe and its brilliantly clear waters has been a decades-long undertaking with no end in sight to the work that must be done to protect the Lake of the Sky for generations to come.
In the 1960s, lake clarity measured more than 100 feet. In 2020, that clarity was at 62.9’. Some years it has drastically improved and some years it has drastically worsened. There are many factors at play – the lake is getting warmer, which is favorable to invasive species; weather is drier and hotter; longer and more intense droughts are occurring; smoke from wildfires is bringing harmful particles into the lake while also reducing the positive impacts of solar radiation; less snow and more rain combined with warmer spring temperatures increases stream flows which in turn increases flood risks; the lake’s depths are more stagnant; algae growth is increasing; and there’s the constant battle to prevent invasive species from getting into the lake from boats, kayaks and other craft.
The fantastic news is that there are scores of dedicated researchers working to identify these issues and come up with innovative and creative solutions to help combat these problems and protect Lake Tahoe (like turning some of our invasive species into dog treats). UC Davis’ Tahoe Environmental Research Center is at the forefront of much of this work and recently released its annual State of the Lake Report, which analyzes the health of Lake Tahoe from data collected in 2020. These skilled and dedicated scientists are the heroes of Lake Tahoe, working every day to protect it.
TERC has set a Clarity Challenge for itself to reach 78’ of clarity as a five-year average measured between 2026 and 2031. But we can’t just rely on TERC alone; our actions impact the health of Lake Tahoe – pack out the trash; don’t bring pool toys to the beach; pick up and pack out dog poop; make sure all watercraft are Clean, Drained & Dry.
I invite each of you to learn more about the health of Lake Tahoe, the work being done to protect it and how you can help. Read the State of the Lake Report summary in this edition, read the full version and watch the presentation on the key issues at tahoe.ucdavis.edu, download the Citizen Science app, and visit the Tahoe Science Center.
Understanding what’s at stake is critical to saving Big Blue.
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