Keep Tahoe Blue
A low lake level creates big beaches on Tahoe's south shore. Wendy Hudnall.
In the fall of 2014, after years of drought, Lake Tahoe dropped below its natural rim, which is marked at 6,223 feet above sea level. With the water level so low, piers were left high and dry, beach faces ballooned, and water stopped flowing down the Truckee River. That scene may seem eerily similar to this summer where two consecutive weak winters have left Lake Tahoe’s elevation just 6,224.3 feet above sea level.
This fall, the Lake is projected to dip below its natural rim once again.
While not unprecedented, the current situation is especially concerning. This year is the third driest in Tahoe since 1910 in terms of precipitation from rain and snow melt. On top of that, Tahoe has broken numerous heat records this summer.
We’ve seen the drought turn vegetation into tinder for wildfires. It has also warmed the Lake’s waters, encouraging aquatic invasive plants and algae to grow, and making the shoreline murky. These symptoms are a reminder of how climate change is making its mark here.
Lake Tahoe below its rim in 2014. Tahoe Daily Tribune.
The League is striving to make Tahoe resilient to the impacts of climate change. We’re working to advance restoration of the natural ecosystem, so it can absorb environmental shocks; to tackle invasive species, preventing them from damaging water quality; and to create a network of alternative, Lake-friendly transportation options for the Basin to reduce emissions and polluting runoff.

Join us as we work to Keep Tahoe Blue, now and long into the future.
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League to Save Lake Tahoe | 530.541.5388 | keeptahoeblue.org
Protecting Lake Tahoe since 1957