SHARE:  

advocate | educate | collaborate
Spring cleaning: League volunteers collect 770 pounds of trash in three hours
Warmer spring weather can expose trash left behind after winter snow melts, and leave South Lake Tahoe scattered with litter. This debris is an eyesore, and can harm not only wildlife, but also Lake Tahoe. For these reasons, the League hosted the 5th annual South Lake Tahoe Earth Day Cleanup on Monday, April 22nd. Over 60 volunteers removed 770 pounds of litter and over 6,000 cigarette butts in a span of three hours.

"We continue to be amazed at the amount of trash found in and around Lake Tahoe," said Marilee Movius, the League’s community engagement manager. "Cleanups like these are critical to ensuring our lake remains a beautiful place for us all to enjoy. We thank all of our partners and volunteers that joined together to be part of the solution."
Snapshot Day citizen-scientists work together to take water quality samples.
Snapshot Day is one of the longest-running watershed monitoring events on the West Coast of the United States, and is now in its 19th year. Each May, hundreds of volunteers disperse to collect data about the health of streams and lakes in the Tahoe-Truckee watershed, which includes Lake Tahoe. The data collected from Snapshot Day 2018 has been analyzed and is now available. It paints a picture of a healthy, vibrant watershed with a few notable exceptions.

One positive finding was that only 22 percent of the sites monitored in 2018 showed elevated levels of turbidity, down from 30 percent of the sites in 2017. Turbidity is a measure of the water’s cloudiness and an indicator of the presence of fine sediment pollution, the leading cause of clarity loss in Lake Tahoe.

"This is a positive trend and one we hope continues in 2019. But it needs to be tempered by the fact that prior to this, we had four years of drought followed by a big winter in 2017 and significant spring runoff," said Emily Frey, natural resources associate for the League to Save Lake Tahoe. "Measuring consistently year after year is critical for getting an accurate read on this and other water quality trends," she added.

This year's Snapshot Day will be held on May 18th from 9 am - noon in South Lake Tahoe. All are welcome to attend, and no experience is necessary to participate in this fun, free, outdoor science event. Get involved!
League Earns GuideStar’s Highest Seal of Transparency
The League earned a 2019 Platinum Seal of Transparency, the highest level of recognition offered by GuideStar, the world’s largest source of nonprofit information. By sharing metrics that highlight progress the League is making toward its mission, the organization is helping donors move beyond simplistic ways of nonprofit evaluation such as overhead ratios. 

To reach the Platinum level, the League added extensive information to its GuideStar Nonprofit Profile: basic contact and organizational information; in-depth financial information; qualitative information about goals, strategies, and capabilities; and quantitative information about results and progress toward its mission. By taking the time to provide this information, the League has demonstrated its commitment to transparency and to giving donors and funders meaningful data to evaluate its performance. 
Team member spotlight: Leila Maloney , governance and relationship manager  
Q: Describe an accomplishment you are most proud of since you started at the League. A: I love being the liaison and the primary staff resource for our 20 board members to keep them engaged and informed on League issues. Having a knowledgeable and effective board is crucial to the success of all our League programs and initiatives.

Q: What is your favorite volunteer event that you have worked with the League? Why should others join in? A: The Keep Tahoe Red, White and Blue Beach Cleanup on July 5th is definitely my favorite League volunteer event. I love seeing both locals and visitors so passionate about keeping trash, especially plastics, off our shorelines and out of the crystal blue water of Tahoe.  
Lake Tahoe news
19th annual Snapshot Day to unveil conditions in Lake Tahoe and Truckee River
April 30, SouthTahoeNow
For the past 18 years, volunteers have been monitoring water quality conditions across the Lake Tahoe and Truckee River watersheds, collecting data at a single point in time to better understand the area as a whole.

Lake Spirit Awards Highlight Ways to Protect Lake Tahoe
April 25, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency
Lake Spirit Awards presented by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) Wednesday recognized five people for their commitment to protecting and enhancing Lake Tahoe’s unique natural environment.

Earth Day volunteers remove 770 pounds of Lake Tahoe trash
April 24, San Francisco Chronicle
The League to Save Lake Tahoe say its 5th annual Earth Day cleanup at Lake Tahoe netted more than 700 pounds (300 kilograms) of trash.

Events
Snapshot Day Team Leader Training
Thursday, May 9 | 5 - 7 pm
League to Save Lake Tahoe Office | South Lake Tahoe, CA

Snapshot Day
Saturday, May 18 | 9 am - noon
Meet at Lake Tahoe Community College

Tahoe City Clean-Up Day
Saturday, June 1 | 8:30 am - noon
Meet at Commons Beach, Tahoe City, Lake Tahoe, CA

Monday, June 3 | 5 - 8 pm
Multiple locations in South Lake Tahoe

Tahoe Forest Stewardship Day - Spring
Saturday, June 15 | 8:30 am - noon
South Lake Tahoe, CA

Pipe Keepers E-Training
On Demand | Online

Ceramic Tumbler - Alanna Hughes Pottery
Our 16 ounce tumbler mug, wheel thrown by  Alanna Hughes Pottery  out of Truckee, Calif, is made with a natural sandstone clay body that nestles nicely in the hand. Glazed inside and around the rim, the mug is great for coffee, cocktails, hot and cold liquids and is a perfect reusable drinkware option in honor of Earth Month! Stop by our store or buy one online at  shop.keeptahoeblue.org/shop/product/?PID=428 . All proceeds help Keep Tahoe Blue! Photo:  Alanna Hughes Pottery.
League to Save Lake Tahoe | 530.541.5388 | keeptahoeblue.org
Clarity photo by Dylan Silver, tahoeclarity.com