| Lake Tahoe | |
|---|---|
| Dáʔaw (Washo) | |
 The south shore of Lake Tahoe in California, as seen from the west shore | |
  Lake Tahoe Location of Lake Tahoe in California Show map of California Lake Tahoe Location of Lake Tahoe in Nevada Show map of Nevada Lake Tahoe Location of Lake Tahoe in the USA Show map of the United States | |
 Lake Tahoe from space | |
| Location | TheSierra Nevada of the U.S., along the state line ofCalifornia andNevada |
| Coordinates | 39°N120°W / 39°N 120°W /39; -120 |
| Lake type | Ancient lake,Geologic block faulting |
| Primary outflows | Truckee River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 22 mi (35 km) |
| Max. width | 12 mi (19 km) |
| Surface area | 191 sq mi (490 km2):[1] Placer County (41%) El Dorado County (29%) Douglas County (13%) Washoe County (11%) Carson City (6%) |
| Average depth | 1,000 ft (300 m)[1] |
| Max. depth | 1,645 ft (501 m) |
| Water volume | 36 cu mi (150 km3; 120,000,000 acre⋅ft)[2] |
| Residence time | 650 years |
| Shore length1 | 71 mi (114 km) |
| Surface elevation | 6,225 ft (1,897 m)[1] |
| Frozen | Rarely, inEmerald Bay[3] |
| Islands | Fannette Island |
| Settlements | Incline Village, NV South Lake Tahoe, CA Stateline, NV Tahoe City, CA Kings Beach, CA Truckee, CA |
| 1 Shore length isnot a well-defined measure. | |
Lake Tahoe (/ˈtɑːhoʊ/) is afreshwaterlake in theSierra Nevada of theWestern United States, straddling the border betweenCalifornia andNevada. Lying at 6,225 ft (1,897 m) above sea level, Lake Tahoe is the largestalpine lake inNorth America,[4] and at 122,160,280 acre⋅ft (150.7 km3) it trails only the fiveGreat Lakes as thelargest by volume in the United States. Its depth is 1,645 ft (501 m), making it thesecond deepest in the United States afterCrater Lake inOregon (1,949 ft or 594 m).[1]
The lake was formed about two million years ago as part of the Lake Tahoe Basin, and its modern extent was shaped during theice ages. It is known for the clarity of its water and the panorama of surrounding mountains on all sides.[5] The area surrounding the lake is also referred to as Lake Tahoe, or simply Tahoe; its English name is derived from itsWasho name,Dáʔaw.[6] More than 75% of the lake'swatershed isnational forest land, covered by theLake Tahoe Basin Management Unit of theUnited States Forest Service.
Lake Tahoe is a major tourist attraction in both Nevada and California. It is home to winter sports, summer outdoor recreation, and scenery enjoyed throughout the year. Snow and ski resorts are a significant part of the area's economy and reputation.[7][8] The Nevada side also offers several lakeside casino resorts, with highways providing year-round access to the entire area.
The name for Lake Tahoe derives from theWasho word for the lake,dáʔaw, meaning 'the lake.'[9] Even thoughdáʔaw is used in the names of other lakes with modifiers (for example,áʔwaku dáʔaw forPyramid Lake, meaning 'trout lake'), it often is used without a modifier to refer to Lake Tahoe. This may be because of Tahoe's importance to Washo culture.[10]
Lake Tahoe is the second deepest lake in the U.S., with a maximum depth of 1,645 feet (501 m),[1][11] trailing Oregon'sCrater Lake at 1,949 ft (594 m).[11] Tahoe is the 17th[12]deepest lake in the world, and the sixth deepest in average depth. It is about 22 mi (35 km) long and 12 mi (19 km) wide and has 72 mi (116 km) of shoreline and a surface area of 191 square miles (490 km2). The lake is so large that its surface is noticeably convex due to the curvature of the Earth.[13] At lake level the opposing shorelines are below the horizon at its widest parts; by nearly 100 feet (30 m) at its maximum width, and by some 320 feet (98 m) along its length.[14][15] Visibility may vary somewhat withatmospheric refraction;[16] when the air temperature is much greater than the lake temperature,looming may occur where the lake surface or opposing shoreline is lifted above the horizon.Fata Morgana may be responsible forTahoe Tessie sightings.
Approximately two-thirds of the shoreline is in California.[17] The south shore is dominated by the lake's largest city,South Lake Tahoe, California, which adjoins the town ofStateline, Nevada, whileTahoe City, California, is located on the lake's northwest shore.Kings Beach, California, andIncline Village, Nevada, anchor the lake's north shore.[clarification needed] Although highways run within sight of the lake shore for much of Tahoe's perimeter, many important[clarification needed] parts of the shoreline lie within state parks or are protected by theUnited States Forest Service. TheLake Tahoe Watershed (USGSHuc 18100200) of 505 sq mi (1,310 km2) is the land area that drains to the lake and the Lake Tahoe drainage divide traverses the same general area as theTahoe Rim Trail.
Lake Tahoe is fed by 63 tributaries. These drain an area about the same size as the lake and produce half its water; the other half is produced by direct precipitation.
TheTruckee River is the lake's only outlet,[4] flowing northeast throughReno, Nevada, intoPyramid Lake which hasno outlet. It accounts for one third of the water that leaves the lake, the rest evaporating from the lake's surface. Evaporation is thought to account for 40 to 60 percent of the water usage.[18] The flow of the Truckee River and the height of the lake are controlled byLake Tahoe Dam at the outlet. The natural rim is at 6,223 ft (1,897 m) above sea level. The maximum legal limit to which the lake can be allowed to rise in order to store water is at 6,229.1 ft (1,898.6 m); a spillway at the dam controls overflow.[19] Around New Year 1996/1997 aPineapple Expressatmospheric river melted snow and caused the lake and river to overflow, inundating Reno and surrounding areas.[20]
TheLake Tahoe Basin was formed by vertical motion (normal)faulting. Uplifted blocks created theCarson Range on the east and the main Sierra Nevada crest on the west. Down-dropping and block tilting (half-grabens) created the Lake Tahoe Basin in between.[1] This kind of faulting is characteristic of the geology of the adjoiningGreat Basin to the east.
Lake Tahoe is the youngest of several extensional basins of theWalker Lane deformation zone that accommodates nearly 0.47 in (12 mm) per year ofdextral shear between theSierra Nevada-Great Valley Block and theNorth America plate.[21][22]
Three principal faults form the Lake Tahoe basin: the West Tahoe Fault, aligned betweenMeyers andTahoe City, and which is the local segment of theSierra Nevada Fault, extending on shore north and south of these localities;[23] the Stateline/North Tahoe Fault, starting in the middle of the lake and creating the relief that forms Stateline, NV; and the Incline Village Fault, which runs parallel to the Stateline/North Tahoe Fault offshore and into Incline Village.[24] The West Tahoe Fault appears to be the most active and potentially hazardous fault in the basin. A study in Fallen Leaf Lake, just south of Lake Tahoe, used seafloor mapping techniques to image evidence for paleoearthquakes on the West Tahoe and revealed the last earthquake occurred between 4,100 and 4,500 years ago.[25] Subsequent studies revealed submarine landslides in Fallen Leaf Lake and Lake Tahoe that are thought to have been triggered by earthquakes on the West Tahoe fault and the timing of these events suggests arecurrence interval of 3,000–4,000 years.[26]
Some of the highest peaks of the Lake Tahoe Basin that formed during the process of Lake Tahoe creation areFreel Peak at 10,891 feet (3,320 m),Monument Peak at 10,067 feet (3,068 m),Pyramid Peak at 9,984 feet (3,043 m) (in theDesolation Wilderness), andMount Tallac at 9,735 feet (2,967 m).[1] The north shore boasts three peaks at over 10,000 feet (3,048 m):Mount Rose at 10,785 feet (3,287 m),Mount Houghton at 10,490 feet (3,197 m) andRelay Peak at 10,388 feet (3,166 m). Mt. Rose is a very popular hiking and backcountry skiing destination.
Eruptions from the now-extinctvolcanoMount Pluto formed avolcanic dam on the north side. Melting snow filled the southern and lowest part of the basin to form the ancestral Lake Tahoe. Rain and runoff added additional water.[27]
The Sierra Nevada adjacent to Lake Tahoe were carved by scouringglaciers during the Ice Ages, which began a million or more years ago, and retreated ~15,000 years ago at the end of thePleistocene. The glaciers carved canyons that are today iconic landmarks such asEmerald Bay, Cascade Lake, andFallen Leaf Lake, among others. Lake Tahoe itself never held glaciers, but instead water is retained by dammingMiocene volcanic deposits.
Soils of the basin come primarily fromandesitic volcanic rocks andgranodiorite, with minor areas ofmetamorphic rock. Some of the valley bottoms and lower hill slopes are mantled with glacialmoraines, orglacial outwash material derived from the parent rock. Sandy soils, rock outcrops and rubble and stonycolluvium account for over 70% of the land area in the basin. The basin soils (in the < 2 mm fraction) are generally 65–85% sand (0.05–2.0 mm).
Given the great depth of Lake Tahoe, and the locations of the normal faults in the deepest portions of the lake, modeling suggests that earthquakes on these faults can triggertsunamis. Wave heights of these tsunamis are predicted to be on the order of 10 to 33 ft (3 to 10 m) in height, capable of traversing the lake in just a few minutes.[28] A massive collapse of the western edge of the basin that formed McKinney Bay around 50,000 years ago is thought to have generated a tsunami/seiche wave with a height approaching 330 ft (100 m).[29]
Lake Tahoe has adry-summer continental climate (Dsb in theKöppen climate classification), featuring warm, dry summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. Mean annual precipitation ranges from over 55 inches (1,400 mm) for watersheds on the west side of the basin to about 26 inches (660 mm) near the lake on the east side of the basin. Most of the precipitation falls as snow between November and April, although rainstorms combined with rapid snowmelt account for the largest floods. There is a pronounced annual runoff of snowmelt in late spring and early summer, the timing of which varies from year to year. In some years, summertimemonsoon storms from the Great Basin bring intense rainfall, especially to high elevations on the northeast side of the basin.
August is normally the warmest month at theLake Tahoe Airport (elevation 6,254 ft; 1,906 m) with an average maximum of 78.7 °F (25.9 °C) and an average minimum of 39.8 °F (4.3 °C). January is the coolest month with an average maximum of 41.0 °F (5.0 °C) and an average minimum of 15.1 °F (−9.4 °C). The all-time maximum of 99 °F (37 °C) was recorded on July 22, 1988. The all-time minimum of −16 °F (−27 °C) was recorded on December 9, 1972. Temperatures exceed 90 °F (32 °C) on an average of 2.0 days annually. Minimum temperatures of 32 °F (0 °C) or lower occur on an average of 231.8 days annually, and minimum temperatures of 0 °F (−18 °C) or lower occur on an average of 7.6 days annually. Freezing temperatures have occurred in every month of the year.[30][31]
| Climate data for Tahoe City, California (Elevation 6,230 ft; 1,900 m) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 59 (15) | 60 (16) | 67 (19) | 74 (23) | 89 (32) | 90 (32) | 99 (37) | 94 (34) | 87 (31) | 80 (27) | 70 (21) | 60 (16) | 99 (37) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 38.6 (3.7) | 40.3 (4.6) | 44.0 (6.7) | 50.4 (10.2) | 59.6 (15.3) | 68.7 (20.4) | 77.9 (25.5) | 77.2 (25.1) | 69.8 (21.0) | 58.8 (14.9) | 46.9 (8.3) | 40.3 (4.6) | 56.0 (13.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 19.1 (−7.2) | 19.9 (−6.7) | 22.8 (−5.1) | 26.9 (−2.8) | 32.8 (0.4) | 38.6 (3.7) | 44.4 (6.9) | 43.7 (6.5) | 39.0 (3.9) | 32.3 (0.2) | 25.8 (−3.4) | 20.8 (−6.2) | 30.5 (−0.8) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −14 (−26) | −15 (−26) | −6 (−21) | 5 (−15) | 9 (−13) | 24 (−4) | 22 (−6) | 28 (−2) | 21 (−6) | 9 (−13) | 1 (−17) | −16 (−27) | −16 (−27) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 5.97 (152) | 5.29 (134) | 4.12 (105) | 2.14 (54) | 1.20 (30) | 0.65 (17) | 0.26 (6.6) | 0.30 (7.6) | 0.59 (15) | 1.82 (46) | 3.57 (91) | 5.55 (141) | 31.47 (799) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 45.9 (117) | 36.5 (93) | 35.2 (89) | 15.9 (40) | 3.7 (9.4) | 0.2 (0.51) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0.3 (0.76) | 2.4 (6.1) | 15.5 (39) | 35.2 (89) | 190.7 (484) |
| Source: The Western Regional Climate Center[32] | |||||||||||||
Vegetation in the basin is dominated by a mixed conifer forest ofjeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi),lodgepole pine (P. contorta),white fir (Abies concolor),red fir (A. magnifica),sugar pine (P. lambertiana),California incense-cedar (Calocedrus decurrens),ponderosa pine (P. ponderosa), andwestern white pine (P. monticola).[35] The basin also contains significant areas ofwet meadows andriparian areas, drymeadows, brush fields (withArctostaphylos andCeanothus) and rockoutcrop areas, especially at higher elevations.Ceanothus is capable offixing nitrogen, butmountain alder (Alnus tenuifolia), which grows along many of the basin's streams, springs and seeps, fixes far greater quantities, and contributes measurably to nitrate-N concentrations in some small streams. The beaches of Lake Tahoe are the only known habitat for the rareLake Tahoe yellowcress (Rorippa subumbellata), a plant which grows in the wet sand between low- and high-water marks.[36] Vegetation in the lake itself formerly consisted of nativeChara andGomphoneis algae andcoontail (Ceratophyllum demersum), but the later introduction ofcurlyleaf pondweed (Potamogeton crispus),Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum), andZygnema andCladophora algae has transformed the nearshore environment.[37]
Native fish of the lake includeLahontan cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki henshawi),mountain whitefish (Prosopiurm williamsoni),Lahontan speckled dace (Rhinichthys osculus robustus),Lahontan redside (Rhinichthys egregious),Lahontan Lake tui chub (Siphateles bicolor pectinifer),Tahoe sucker (Catostomus tahoensis),Lahontan mountain sucker (Catostomus platyrhynchus lahontan), andPaiute sculpin (Cottus beldingi). Most of these fish populations have been significantly reduced due to the introduction of nonnative fish,Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea), andmysid shrimp. Competition from introduced fish led cutthroat trout to be completelyextirpated from the lake in the early 20th century untilreintroduction efforts started in 2019.[38][39][37]
Introduced fish species includelake trout (Salvelinus namaycush),rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss gairdneri),sockeye salmon (Oncorhyncus nerka),brown trout (Salmo trutta),brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis),common carp (Cyprinus carpio),golden shiner (Notemigonus crysoleucas),western mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis),bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus),black (Pomoxis nigromaculatus) andwhite (P. annularis)crappie,largemouth (Micropterus salmoides) andsmallmouth (Micropterus dolomieu)bass, andbrown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus).[37][38] Each autumn, from late September through mid-October, mature sockeye salmon transform from silver-blue color to a fieryvermilion, and run up Taylor Creek, near South Lake Tahoe. As spawning season approaches the fish acquire a humpback and protuberant jaw. After spawning they die and their carcasses provide a feast for gatherings ofmink (Neogale vison),bears (Ursus americanus), andbald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus). The non-native salmon were transplanted from theNorth Pacific to Lake Tahoe in 1944.[40]
North American beaver (Castor canadensis) werere-introduced to the Tahoe Basin by theCalifornia Department of Fish and Wildlife and theU.S. Forest Service between 1934 and 1949. Descended from no more than nine individuals, 1987 beaver populations on the upper and lowerTruckee River had reached a density of 0.72 colonies (3.5 beavers) per kilometer.[41] At the present time beaver have been seen in Tahoe Keys,Taylor Creek, Meeks Creek atMeeks Bay on the western shore, andKings Beach on the north shore, so the descendants of the original nine beavers have apparently migrated around most of Lake Tahoe.[42][43] Recently novel physical evidence has demonstrated that beaver were native to the Sierra until at least the mid-nineteenth century, via radiocarbon dating of buried beaver dam wood uncovered by deep channel incision in theFeather River watershed.[44] That report was supported by a summary of indirect evidence of beaver including reliable observer accounts of beaver in multiple watersheds from the northern to the southern Sierra Nevada, including its eastern slope.[45] A specific documented record of beaver living historically in Lake Tahoe'sNorth Canyon Creek watershed aboveGlenbrook includes a description ofSpooner Meadow rancher Charles Fulstone hiring a caretaker to control the beaver population in the early 20th century.[46] A recent study of Taylor Creek showed that beaver dam removal decreased wetland habitat, increased stream flow, and increased total phosphorus pollutants entering Lake Tahoe – all factors which negatively impact the clarity of the lake's water.[47] In addition, beaver dams located inWard Creek, located on the west shore of Lake Tahoe, were also shown to decrease nutrients and sediments traveling downstream.[47]
The lake's low temperatures and extreme depth can slow the decomposition rate of organic matter. For example, the almost perfectly preserved body of a diver was found at a depth of 300 feet (90 m) 17 years after he went missing.[48]
The area around Lake Tahoe was previously inhabited by theWashoeNative Americans. Lake Tahoe was the center and heart of Washoe Indian territory, including the upper valleys of theWalker,Carson and Truckee Rivers.
Cave Rock is a large rock formation located on the southeastern shore of the lake and considered a sacred site for the Washoe Indians. The Washoe people called Cave Rockdeʔek wadapush (Washo for Standing Gray Rock). Part of why the Washoe felt the Cave was sacred was due to "The Lady of the Lake" a rock formation on the side of the Cave which looks like the profile of a woman's face gazing out towards the lake. Washoe ancestors performed religious ceremonies inside the cave. There were significant but ultimately unsuccessful protests from the tribe when atunnel was blasted through the rock in 1931 for Highway 50.[49]
Lt.John C. Frémont was the first European-American to see Lake Tahoe, during his second exploratory expedition on February 14, 1844.[50] Fremont named it "Lake Bonpland" afterAimé Bonpland (a French botanist who had accompaniedPrussian explorerAlexander von Humboldt in his exploration ofMexico, Colombia and theAmazon River).[51] Lake Bonpland's usage never became popular, and the name changed from "Mountain Lake" to "Fremont's Lake" several years after.John Calhoun Johnson, Sierra explorer and founder of "Johnson's Cutoff" (nowU.S. Route 50), named itFallen Leaf Lake after his Indian guide. Johnson's first job in the west was in the government service carrying the mail on snowshoes fromPlacerville toNevada City, during which time he named it "Lake Bigler" after California's third governorJohn Bigler. In 1853 William Eddy, the surveyor general of California, identified the lake as Lake Bigler.
The usage never became universal. By the start of theAmerican Civil War in 1861, former Governor Bigler, once a Free Soil Democrat, had become such an ardentConfederate sympathizer that Union advocates objected to the name. Unionists andRepublicans alike derided the former governor's name on the lake on official state maps. Pro-Union papers called for a "change from thisSecesh appellation" and "noCopperhead names on our landmarks for us."[51] Several Unionist members in the Legislature suggested changing the name to the fanciful sounding "Tula Tulia". TheSacramento Union jokingly suggested the name "Largo Bergler" for Bigler's widely perceived financial incompetency in his final term and contemporary Southern sympathies. Within a year, different maps referred to the lake not only as Bigler, but also as "Mountain Lake" and "Maheon Lake".
The debate took a new direction when William Henry Knight, mapmaker for the federalU.S. Department of the Interior, and colleague Dr. Henry DeGroot of theSacramento Union joined the political argument in 1862. As Knight completed a new map of the lake, the mapmaker asked DeGroot for a new name of the lake. DeGroot suggested "Tahoe", a local tribal name he believed meant "water in a high place". Knight agreed, and telegraphed to the Land Office in Washington, D.C., to officially change all federal maps to now read "Lake Tahoe". Knight later explained his desire for a name change, writing, "I remarked (to many) that people had expressed dissatisfaction with the name "Bigler", bestowed in honor of a man who had not distinguished himself by any single achievement, and I thought now would be a good time to select an appropriate name and fix it forever on that beautiful sheet of water."[52]
"Lake Tahoe", also like "Lake Bigler", did not gain universal acceptance.Mark Twain, a critic of the new name, called it an "unmusical cognomen". In an 1864 editorial regarding the name in theVirginia CityTerritorial Enterprise, Twain cited Bigler as being "the legitimate name of the Lake, and it will be retained until some name less flat, insipid and spooney than "Tahoe" is invented for it."[53] In Twain's 1869 novelInnocents Abroad, Twain continued to deride the name in his foreign travels. "People say that Tahoe means 'Silver Lake' – 'Limpid Water' – 'Falling Leaf.' Bosh! It means grasshopper soup, the favorite dish of the digger tribe – and of the Paiutes as well."[54] ThePlacervilleMountain Democrat began a notorious rumor that "Tahoe" was actually anIndian renegade who plundered upon White settlers. To counter the federal government, the California State Legislature reaffirmed in 1870 that the lake was indeed called "Lake Bigler".
But to most surveys and the general public it was known as Lake Tahoe.[55] By the end of the 19th century "Lake Bigler" had nearly completely fallen out of popular use in favor of "Tahoe". The California State Legislature reversed its previous decision in 1945, officially changing the name to Lake Tahoe.
Upon discovery of gold in theSouth Fork of the American River in 1848, thousands of gold seekers going west passed near the basin on their way to the gold fields. Europeans first impinged upon the Lake Tahoe basin with the 1858 discovery of theComstock Lode, a silver deposit just 15 miles (24 km) to the east inVirginia City, Nevada. From 1858 until about 1890, logging in the basin supplied large timbers to shore up the underground workings of the Comstock mines.[56] The logging was so extensive that loggers cut down almost all of the native forest.[57]
Lake Tahoe became a transportation hub for the surrounding area as mining and logging commenced prior to development of railroads. The first mail delivery was via asailboat which took a week to visit each of the lakeside communities.[58] The firststeamboat on Lake Tahoe was the 42-foot (13 m)paddle wheeltugboatGovernor Blasdel towing log rafts to asawmill on the south side of Glenbrook Bay from 1863 until herboiler exploded in 1877. The 40-foot (12 m)Truckee and 55-foot (17 m)propeller-drivenEmerald were also towing log rafts in 1870.[59] J.A. Todman brought steam-powered passenger service to Lake Tahoe in 1872 with the 100-foot (30 m) 125-passengerside-wheel steamerGovernor Stanford which reduced the mail delivery trip around Lake Tahoe to eight hours.[60] Todman expanded service with steamboatsMamie,Niagara, andTod Goodwin. Lawrence & Comstock provided competition with their steel-hulled steamboatTallac in 1890 and later purchased Todman's steamboatsMamie andTod Goodwin. TheCarson and Tahoe Lumber and Fluming Company purchased the 83-foot (25 m)Niagara and built the iron-hulled steamboatsMeteor in 1876 andEmerald (II) in 1887. The 75-foot (23 m)Meteor was the fastest boat on Lake Tahoe with a speed of 22 miles (35 km) per hour.Lake Tahoe Railway and Transportation Company dominated the passenger and mail route after launch of their 200-passenger steamboatTahoe on June 24, 1896. The 154-tonTahoe was 170 feet (52 m) long with a slender 18-foot (5.5 m) beam so her 1,200 horsepower (890 kW) engines could push her over the lake at 18.5 knots. Lake Tahoe Railway and Transportation Company purchasedTallac and rebuilt her asNevada with length increased by 20 feet (6.1 m) to serve as a backup steamboat whenTahoe required maintenance.[58]
Tod Goodwin burned at Tallac, and most of the other steamboats were retired as the sawmills ran out of trees and people began traveling by automobile.[58]Niagara was scrapped at Tahoe City in 1900.[60]Governor Stanford was beached at Glenbrook where its boiler was used until 1942 heating cottages at Glenbrook Inn and Ranch. Steamboats continued to carry a mail clerk around Lake Tahoe until 1934, when the mail contract was given to the 42-foot (13 m) motorboatMarian B powered by twoChevrolet engines. Mail delivery moved ashore after theMarian B was lost on May 17, 1941, when her owner and the mail clerk attempted mail delivery during a storm.[58] The 60-foot (18 m)Emerald (II) left Lake Tahoe in 1935 to become a fishing boat inSan Diego.[59] HistoricTahoe,Nevada, andMeteor were purchased with hope they might be preserved; but were scuttled in deep water after deterioration made preservation impractical. The latter two lie in Glenbrook Bay, butTahoe sank in deeper water.[58]
Even in the mining era, the potential of the basin as a tourist destination was recognized. Tahoe City was founded in 1864 as a resort community for Virginia City.[57]
Public appreciation of the Tahoe basin grew, and during the1912, 1913 and1918 Congressional sessions, congressmen tried unsuccessfully to designate the basin as anational park.[57]
While Lake Tahoe is a natural lake, it is also used for water storage by theTruckee-Carson Irrigation District (TCID). The lake level is controlled byLake Tahoe Dam built in 1913 at the lake's only outlet, theTruckee River, at Tahoe City. The 18-foot (5.5 m) high dam can increase the lake's capacity by 744,600 acre⋅ft (918,500,000 m3).[61]
During the first half of the 20th century, development around the lake consisted of a few vacation homes. The post-World War II population and building boom, followed by construction of gambling casinos in the Nevada part of the basin during the mid-1950s, and completion of the interstate highway links for the1960 Winter Olympics held atOlympic Valley (then known as "Squaw Valley"), resulted in a dramatic increase in development within the basin. From 1960 to 1980, the permanent residential population increased from about 10,000 to greater than 50,000, and the summer population grew from about 10,000 to about 90,000.[57] Since the 1980s, development has slowed due to controls on land use.
Lake Tahoe is divided by the prominent interstate boundary between California and Nevada, where the two states' edges make their iconic directional turn near the middle of the lake. This boundary has been disputed since the mid-nineteenth century.[62]
As part of thecompromise of 1850, California was speedilyadmitted to the Union. In doing so, Congress approved theCalifornia Constitution which defined the state's boundary in reference togeographical coordinates. This includes the section of the120th meridian that is between the42nd parallel at theOregon border and the39th parallel amid Lake Tahoe, and anoblique line continuing from that point southward to where theColorado River crosses the35th parallel.[63] Fourteen years later, Congress approved theNevada Constitution when it was admitted as a state in 1864, which defined its western border at the forty third degree of Longitude West fromWashington, D.C., and its southwestern border along the oblique section of the boundary line of California. While 43 degrees of longitude west from theWashington Meridian does not really coincide with the 120 degrees longitude west ofGreenwich, the 1864 Congress was of the belief that the two lines were identical; the former wasabandoned nationally in 1884. The centuries longdispute that erupted began withboundary discrepancies across manysurveys within which were valuable mineral deposits; Nevada also had a wish that California would assent tocede its land east of thePacific crest as had been preauthorized by Congress in 1850.[62] The first consequential attempt tomark the California-Nevada boundary was the 1863J.F. Houghton andButler Ives line. An 1867–1868 survey of the California-Oregon border byDaniel G. Major for theUnited States General Land Office found the 120th meridian more than two miles west of the prior line, so it was followed by the 1872 survey byAlexey W. Von Schmidt. Against initial instructions, Von Schmidt began his survey with the1872 California-Nevada State Boundary Marker[64] which was six-tenths of a mile east of the Houghton-Ives line. When he discovered theColorado River had shifted at the 35th parallel, he simply changed the endpoint resulting in a survey that was neither straight nor accurate. Substantial doubts led Congress in 1892 to fund theUnited States Coast and Geodetic Survey to remark the oblique line.[65] This new survey found the Von Schmidt line to be 1,600 to 1,800 feet too far west, but both surveys were then used by both states.[66] Unsurprisingly, the combination of the 1893 C.G.S. survey's oblique line and Schmidt's well marked north–south line do not intersect precisely at the 39th parallel as mandated by the California Constitution. Congress does not have theconstitutional power to unilaterally move state boundaries.
The wealth in natural resources between the Sierra Crest and the easternmost sections of survey lines created a powerful source for conflict. Majormining sites in the Tahoe area were in disputed territory. In a striking display ofopportunism which ostensibly occurred because the boundary was still "officially" unsurveyed, settlers arrogated parts of California up to the irregular Sierra Crest tens of miles east of the boundary—defined over six years prior—in an attempt to createNataqua Territory. An armed skirmish known as theSagebrush War included gunshots exchanged between militia.[67] Even after six surveys, conflict remained over which of them, if any, were legally binding in marking the boundary;[66] this was partially heard by theSupreme Court of the United States in 1980, where the doctrine ofacquiescence was invoked.[63]
A boundary defined in terms ofgeographical coordinates is theoretically precise, but poses pragmatic challenges to implement. Where a particular coordinate actually lies on the surface of the earth is dependent on thefigure of the Earth. In the mid-1800s theBessel ellipsoid of 1841 or theClarke ellipsoid of 1866 were widely used; theHayford ellipsoid of 1910 may later have been used by the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey. The standard ellipsoid for western states in 1849—which is generally congruent with that year's version of theAstronomical Almanac—isimplicit in California's constitutional boundary definition; incessant invention of newdatums by new and potentially interested parties do not re-render the old boundary definition. Holding assumptions of the earth back-in-time, modernsatellite assisted survey techniques can determine location andtransform them onto oldellipsoids to within a centimeter.Celestial navigation[68][69] techniques by contrast, are accurate up to two-fifths of a mile; uncertainty in the latter was known, but precision then was unobtainable.
The legacy of this dispute continues.[66] There is an official federal[65] obelisk-shapedmonument marking the oblique California border, which is now surrounded byEdgewood Tahoe golf resort that is claimed and taxed by Nevada.[65][70] A federal survey monument was removed to the Lake Tahoe Historical Society circa 2018.[69] The Von Schmidt line crosses US 50 on the west edge of present-dayApplebee's, and the east edge of the Marcus Ashley Gallery in Tahoe Crescent V Shopping Center.[70][71] The Nevada community ofStateline has been moved east.[72]
The boundary splits Lake Tahoe unevenly, with two-thirds in California and one-third in Nevada.[73] In California, Lake Tahoe is divided between Placer County and El Dorado County. In Nevada, Lake Tahoe is divided among Washoe County, Douglas County and Carson City (anindependent city).
Lake Tahoe is aU.S. Navigable Waterway,[74][75] underfederal jurisdiction,[76][77][78] and the public is allowed to occupy any watercraft as close to any shore as the craft isnavigable.[75] Public capacity to navigate across any land formerly inundated by the waterway is not extinguished by the lowering of the lake level; this federal easement is maintained underUnited States law.[79] Because small fluctuations in the height of the shoreline can result in substantive temporal immersions by the lake surface, the irreversible public easement slowly grows larger in size.
While thesubmerged lands generally belong to the state,[80] the water held in the lake is federally controlled by theUS Bureau of Reclamation,[81] and immersion of the shoreline itself would be acommon law trespass against east lakefront property owners if it were not for the land—below the theoretical maximum elevation of the lake—being in a perpetual federal easement.[82][79][83] Neither state has the authority to rescind navigability along the shoreline below the highmark of the waterbody, because it has been granted under federal law through theEnumerated powers of the United States. The entire waterbody is navigable; it is common for the majority of users to be operating negligibledraft one-person craft such askayaks andstandup paddleboards.[75] TheTahoe Regional Planning Agency does not have the authority to override existing federal law even if it was also created by Congress.
Like the interstate boundary itself, the high watermark has been disputed as well.[84][85] The theoretical maximum elevation of the lake is 6,229.1 feet (1,898.6 m), using the Lake Tahoe datum. The yearly maximum is commonly 0.35 feet (0.11 m) lower.[84] Strong winds across the lake's substantialfetch can create asurge which further lifts the high-water line onleeward shores, known as aseiche.
On the California side, the shorezone is expressly maintained in a constitutionally[86] and statutorily[87] protectedpublic trust,[88] analogous to aneasement,[84][85] which is managed by theCalifornia State Lands Commission[89] and under a concurrent federal easement. As public land, the shorezone on this side may be used for nearly any purpose,[84] rather than just travel. Upland owner is not entitled to utilize their land subject to public trust in any manner incompatible with public's interest in the property—which includes broad recreational uses.[90] Owner is akin to a trustee of public trust for benefit of all the people, and as such hasfiduciary responsibilities to the beneficiaries; state remains trustee with duty to supervise trust.[91][92] It is a crime for anyone who hinders, prevents, or obstructs free passage over the state lands, trusts, easements,[93][94][95] or federal public easement.[96]
Building new piers can infringe on thepublic trust, which among many things, is purposed to preserve the land in its natural state.[84] Accretions created in the shorezone by artificial means remain as public land because they are part of the public trust.[97][98][99] The private Lakeside Park Association has made such an artificial accretion of land that is freely open for public use.[99][100] Access to and from the shorezone across private land on publicly enjoyed paths is by right-of-way[101] or prescriptive easement.[102][103][104][105] Recent attempts by Lakefront Homeowners to usepiers as "easement fences" to obstruct beach travel are encroaching centuries of establishedeasement andadmiralty law.[84]
Nevada local governments have in some cases successfully limited access to publicly held lands above the high water mark.[106] The accessibility of the Nevada beach-land below the high watermark has been a practical matter rather than a legal issue. The land is a public trust or easement under theRivers and Harbors Act, theSubmerged Lands Act, the several Coast Guard Authorization Acts,[79] but affluent beachfront landowners and their elected civic leaders maintain the land is effectively private under state law because state law enforcement is not charged with enforcing federal law.[107] They dispute the high water mark itself by arguing that the state of Nevada has not agreed[108][83] to either a highwater level ordatum with California and theUS.[109][110] Some Civic leaders for the Nevada shore have been pushing a frivolous[79][111]states rights theory of property law—which intermittently nullifies federal easements whenever the lake level recedes—which has never been tested infederal court.[108][112][111] Instilling public fear of criminal trespassing is the core goal under the theory, which if actually prosecuted would be a risky power play. Thesheriffs in Nevada are elected officials;false arrest can lead to an official's imprisonment and cost their electorate hundreds of thousands of dollars.[113][114][115][116] To be convicted oftrespassing, one must bebeyond reasonable doubt above the highwater mark, which under their states rights theory is an arbitrary fact to be found.[117][110] The land is concurrently claimed by theNevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (Nevada Division of State Lands).[118][119] It is a crime to prevent or obstruct use of Nevada state lands.[120][121]
As the population grew and development expanded in the 1960s, the question of protecting the lake became more imperative. In 1969, the U.S. Congress and the California and Nevada State Legislatures created a unique compact to share resources and responsibilities. The Compact established theTahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA), a bi-state agency charged with environmental protection of the Basin through land-use regulation and planning.[122] In 1980, the U.S. Congress amended the Compact with public law 96-551. The law designated a new agency, the Tahoe Transportation District (TTD), to facilitate and implement Basin and regional transportation improvements/additions for the protection, restoration and use of the lake. Schisms between both agencies and local residents have led to the formation of grass-roots organizations that hold to even stricter environmentalism.[123]
Lake Tahoe is also the location of several 19th and 20th century palatial homes of historical significance. TheThunderbird Lodge built by George Whittel Jr once included nearly 27 miles (43 km) of the Nevada shoreline.Vikingsholm was the original settlement onEmerald Bay and included an island teahouse and a 38-room home. TheEhrman Mansion is a summer home built by a former Wells Fargo president in Sugar Pine Point and is now astate park. ThePony Express had a route that went fromGenoa Station overDaggett Pass toFriday's Station andYanks Station; it succeeded the route throughWoodford's Station and Fountain Place Station both on the way toStrawberry Station.[124]
Despite land-use planning and export of treatedsewage effluent from the basin, the lake is becoming increasinglyeutrophic (having an excessive richness of nutrients), with primary productivity increasing by more than 5% annually, and clarity decreasing at an average rate of 0.82 feet (0.25 m) per year.[126] Until the early 1980s, nutrient-limitation studies showed that primary productivity in the lake was nitrogen-limited. Now, after a half-century of accelerated nitrogen input (much of it from direct atmospheric deposition), the lake is phosphorus limited. Theodore Swift et al.,[127] concluded that "suspended inorganic sediments and phytoplanktonic algae both contribute significantly to the reduction in clarity, and that suspended particulate matter, rather than dissolved organic matter, are the dominant causes of clarity loss." The largest source of fine sediment particles to Lake Tahoe is urban stormwater runoff, constituting 72 percent of the total fine sediment particle load.[128] Recent research has shown that the urban uplands also provide the largest opportunity to reduce fine sediment particle and phosphorus contributions to the lake. Historic clarity of approximately 98 feet (30 m) can be achieved with total reduction of approximately 75 percent from urban sources.[129]
Historically, the clarity of Lake Tahoe continued to decrease through 2010, when the averageSecchi depth, 64.4 feet (19.6 m), was the second lowest ever recorded (the lowest was 64.1 feet (19.5 m) in 1997). This represented a decrease of 3.7 feet (1.1 m) from the previous year.[130] However, the lake's clarity increased from 2011 to 2014, improving by nearly 20 percent.[131][132]
A water quality study by the Lahontan Water Quality Control Board and the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection[133] determined the largest source of finesediment particles: 71 percent is developed area (urban) erosion and run-off, much of it associated with transportation infrastructure and services.[134]
Lake Tahoe is a tributary watershed drainage element within the Truckee River Basin, and its sole outlet is the Truckee River, which continues on to discharge to Pyramid Lake. Because of the sensitivity of Truckee River water quality (involving two protected species, thecui-ui[135]sucker fish and theLahontan cutthroat trout), this drainage basin has been studied extensively. The primary investigations were stimulated by theU.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which funded the development of theDSSAM model toanalyze water quality below Lake Tahoe.
Lake Tahoe never freezes.[136] Since 1970, it has mixed to a depth of at least 1,300 ft (400 m) a total of six or seven times. Dissolved oxygen is relatively high from top to bottom. Analysis of the temperature records in Lake Tahoe has shown that the lake warmed (between 1969 and 2002) at an average rate of 0.027 °F (0.015 °C) per year. The warming is caused primarily by increasing air temperatures, and secondarily by increasing downward long-wave radiation. The warming trend is reducing the frequency of deep mixing in the lake and may have important effects onwater clarity and nutrient cycling.[137]
Since the 1960s, the Lake's food web andzooplankton populations have undergone major changes. In 1963–65,opossum shrimp (Mysis diluviana) were introduced to enhance the food supply for the introducedKokanee salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka).[138] The shrimp began feeding on the lake'scladocerans (Daphnia andBosmina), and their populations virtually disappeared by 1971.[139] The shrimp provide a food resource for salmon andtrout, but also compete with juvenile fish for zooplankton. Since the 1970s, the cladoceran populations have somewhat recovered, but not to former levels. Since 2006,goldfish have been observed in the lake, where they have grown to "giant size". Aninvasive species, they may have descended from former pets which owners dumped, or when used as fishing bait.[140]
The Lake Tahoe area is prone to wildfires, particularly theSouth Lake Tahoe region. The areas around are heavily forested, with four more times as much understory trees than in recent years. They are some of the most flammable types of trees.[141] In June 2007, theAngora Fire burned approximately 3,100 acres (1,300 ha) throughout the South Lake Tahoe area. While the impact of ash on the lake's ecosystem is predicted to be minimal, the impact of potential future erosion is not yet known.[142]
Construction activities have resulted in a clouding of the lake's blue waters. Currently, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency is regulating construction along the shoreline[143] (and has won twoFederal Supreme Court battles over recent decisions).[144] These regulations are unpopular with many residents, especially those in the Tahoe Lakefront Homeowners Association.[145]
The League to Save Lake Tahoe (Keep Tahoe Blue) has been an environmental watchdog in the Lake Tahoe Basin for 50 years.[146] Founded when a proposal to build a four-lane highway around the lake—with a bridge over the entrance to Emerald Bay—was proposed in 1957, the League has opposed many development projects in the area, which it alleges were environmentally harmful. The League embraces responsible and diversified use of the Lake's resources while protecting and restoring its natural attributes.[146]
Since 1980, the Lake Tahoe Interagency Monitoring Program (LTIMP) has been measuring stream discharge and concentrations of nutrients and sediment in up to 10 tributary streams in the Lake Tahoe Basin, California-Nevada. The objectives of the LTIMP are to acquire and disseminate the water quality information necessary to support science-based environmental planning and decision making in the basin. The LTIMP is a cooperative program with support from 12 federal and state agencies with interests in the Tahoe Basin. This data set, together with more recently acquired data onurban runoff water quality, is being used by the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board to develop a program (mandated by the Clean Water Act) to limit the flux of nutrients and fine sediment to the Lake.
Microplastics were found for the first time in 2019 by theDesert Research Institute. This pollution in the water could be local or from locations around the world as particles from discarded plastic products can be transported long distances through the atmosphere by wind, rain and falling snow.[147] In 2023, updated measurements of microplastics in the lake revealed that Lake Tahoe contained some of the highest microplastic pollution concentrations found among 38 lakes and reservoirs measured.[148][149][150] Restoring the Lake Depths Foundation uses a BlueROV2 to survey the bottom of Lake Tahoe in an organized grid pattern to remove microplastics and trash.[151]
The UC DavisTahoe Environmental Research Center is dedicated to research, education and public outreach, and to providing objective scientific information for restoration and sustainable use of the Lake Tahoe Basin.[152] Each year, it produces a "State of the Lake" report, assessing changes such as lake clarity, nutrients and particles, or meteorology around the lake.
Much of the area surrounding Lake Tahoe is devoted to thetourism industry and there are many restaurants,ski slopes,golf courses andcasinos catering to visitors.[153] The Nevada side of Tahoe provides additional tourist amenities due to Nevada'slegal gambling, lower regulatory environment and tax burden than California.[154][155] Nevada also had fewer restrictions than California during theCOVID-19 pandemic which resulted in California hotels suffering economically while the Nevada casinos were described as "living large".[154][156]
Duringski season, thousands of people from all over Nevada and California, includingReno,Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, andSacramento, flock to the slopes fordownhill skiing. Lake Tahoe, in addition to its panoramic beauty, is well known for itsblizzards.[7]
Lake Tahoe is home to 15 ski areas.[157] Some of the major ski areas are:
The majority of the ski resorts in the Lake Tahoe region are on the northern end of the lake, nearTruckee, California and Reno, Nevada. Kirkwood, Sierra-at-Tahoe and Heavenly are located on the southern side of the lake, 55–75 miles (90–120 km) from Reno.Scattered throughout Tahoe are public and privatesled parks. Some, such as Granlibakken, are equipped withrope tows to help sledders get up the hill.
Many ski areas around Tahoe also havesnow tubing, such as Olympic Valley. Throughout Tahoe,cross-country skiing,snowmobile riding andsnowshoeing are also popular.
The NHL hostedtwo outdoor games at Lake Tahoe in 2021.[159]
During late Spring to early Fall, the lake is popular forwater sports and beach activities. The two cities most identified with the Lake Tahoe tourist area are South Lake Tahoe, California and the smaller Stateline; smaller centers on the northern shoreline include Tahoe City andKings Beach.
Other popular activities include parasailing, jet ski rentals, eco-friendly paddle sport rentals and fishing.[160] There are rental locations around Lake Tahoe. Kayaking and stand-up paddle boards have also become very popular.
Boating is a primary activity in Tahoe in the summer. The lake is home to one of the most prestigious wooden boat shows in the country, theLake Tahoe Concours d'Elegance, held every August. There are lake front restaurants all over the lake, most equipped withdocks andbuoys. There are all sorts of boating events, such as sailboat racing, firework shows over the lake, guided cruises, and more. As aninterstatewaterway, Lake Tahoe is subject to theUnited States Coast Guard. Lake Tahoe is home to Coast Guard Station Lake Tahoe.[161]
SCUBA diving is popular at Lake Tahoe, with some dive sites offering dramatic drop-offs or wall dives. Diving at Lake Tahoe is considered advanced due to the increased risk ofdecompression sickness (DCS) whilediving at such a high altitude.[162][163]
Fred Rogers became the first person to swim the length of Lake Tahoe in 1955, and Erline Christopherson became the first woman to do so in 1962.[164][165]
The lake and its scenic environs provide many opportunities for motorcyclists to ride both on and off-road. The most popular circuit that goes around the lake runs clockwise and starts inSouth Lake Tahoe on the California side.[166] Riding north via route 89 allows riders to pull over to the right to admire the views without crossing traffic. Continuing onto highway 28 East, and finally, onto US-50 West will complete the full tour. Doing it in reverse allows experiencing the views from a different perspective.Kingsbury Grade (highway 207) is another popular route with local motorcyclists. It is only 11 miles long from South Lake Tahoe toMottsville and can also be ridden in both directions. Some of the most scenic motorcycling stops and views around the lake:
There are numerous hiking and mountain biking trails around the lake. They range widely in length, difficulty and popularity. One of the most famous of Tahoe's trails is theTahoe Rim Trail, a 165-mile (270-km) trail that circumnavigates the lake. Directly to the west of the lake is theGranite Chief Wilderness, which provides great hiking and wilderness camping. Also, to the southwest is the very popularDesolation Wilderness. One of the most popular trailheads used to access these popular destinations isEagle Lake trailhead, located nearEmerald Bay on Tahoe's west shore. The Flume Trail of the east shore is one of Mountain Biking Magazine's Top 10 Trails in the U.S. There are also many paved off-road bicycle paths that meander through communities on all sides of the lake.
Gambling is legal on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe. Casinos, each with a variety ofslot machines andtable games are available. Four are located on the South Shore inStateline, and four on the North Shore; three inCrystal Bay and one inIncline Village.
When Nevada legalized gambling in 1931, the first casino at the lake had already been open for years. First built on the North Shore in Crystal Bay by Robert Sherman in 1926,[167] theCal-Neva Lodge became the property of Norman Henry Biltz and was sold to Bill Graham and Jim McKay in 1929.
The Cal-Neva was rebuilt after a fire in 1937 and expanded several times, most noticeably in 1969 when the high-rise hotel was built. Along the way,Frank Sinatra owned the property in the early 1960s, shared his cabins with the likes ofSam Giancana andMarilyn Monroe, and sold out at the height of the area's popularity.
Other casinos at the North Shore include the Crystal Bay Club, first built in 1937 as the Ta-Neva-Ho; the defunctTahoe Biltmore, and the Nugget. The Hyatt Regency is found at Incline Village.
At South Shore,Bill Harrah purchased the Stateline Country Club, which had stood since 1931 and builtHarrah's Tahoe. Other casinos includeHard Rock Hotel and Casino Lake Tahoe,Harveys Lake Tahoe, andBally's Lake Tahoe.
Lake Tahoe can be reached by car and bus. The nearest passenger train service is theAmtrak station in Truckee, and is served by Amtrak's train, theCalifornia Zephyr, which runs daily betweenChicago and theSan Francisco Bay Area. AnAmtrak Thruway bus also connects South Lake Tahoe to theCapitol Corridor inSacramento. The closest scheduled passenger airline service is available via theReno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO).
TheTahoe Transportation District provides fare-free local mass transit in and around South Lake Tahoe and connects the basin to theCarson Valley andCarson City, andTahoe Truckee Area Regional Transit (TART) serves the north and northwest shores of the lake, also connecting to Truckee and Amtrak.
Visitors can reach Lake Tahoe under ideal conditions within two hours from the Sacramento area, one hour from Reno or thirty minutes from Carson City. In winter months, chains or snow tires are often necessary to reach Tahoe from any direction. Traffic can be heavy on weekends due to tourists if not also from weather.
The primary routes to Lake Tahoe are onInterstate 80 via Truckee,U.S. Route 50, andNevada State Route 431 via Reno. Most of the highways accessing and encircling Lake Tahoe are paved two-lane mountain roads. US 50 is a four-lane highway (from the canyon of the South Fork American River at Riverton, over the Sierra Nevada at Echo Summit, and into the Lake Tahoe Basin, is a mainly two-lane road) passing south of the lake and along part of the eastern shore.
California State Route 89 follows the western shore of the lake through the picturesque wilderness and connects camping, fishing and hiking locations such as those at Emerald Bay State Park,DL Bliss State Park andCamp Richardson. Farther along are communities such asMeeks Bay and Tahoe City. Finally, the highway turns away from the lake and heads northwest toward Truckee.
California State Route 28 completes the circuit from Tahoe City around the northern shore to communities such as Kings Beach, Crystal Bay, and into Incline Village, Nevada where the road becomesNevada State Route 28. Route 28 returns along the eastern shore to US 50 near Spooner Lake.
California[edit]
| Nevada[edit]
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Lake Tahoe is home to various legends that have been passed down through local Native American traditions and other sources. These include stories about Water Babies, the Ong, Tahoe Tessie, and the Ghosts of Fannette Island.
In Washoe tradition, Water Babies are powerful spirits believed to inhabit bodies of water including those of Lake Tahoe. They were thought to have the ability to cause harm or even death. Washoe healers would visit sacred places, such as Cave Rock, to consult with the Water Babies, bringing offerings in the hope of gaining their favor and strength.[168][169][170]
The Ong is a figure from Washoe legend, described as a large bird that lived in Lake Tahoe. It was said to prey on animals and humans. One legend recounts that a young man named Tahoe was captured by the Ong but managed to escape by feeding it poisoned arrowheads. The bird was believed to have died and sunk into the lake.[168][169][170]
Tahoe Tessie is a reported creature said to live in Lake Tahoe. Descriptions of Tessie resemble those of other lake monsters, such as the Loch Ness Monster, with many believing it to be a large aquatic animal, potentially a sturgeon.[171]
Fannette Island in Emerald Bay is purportedly haunted by the ghost of Captain Richard Barter, a man who lived on the island in the late 1800s. He died while returning to the island in 1873, and some local stories claim that his ghost can be seen wandering the island.[171]
ThePonderosa Ranch of the TV seriesBonanza was formerly located on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe.[172] The opening sequence of the TV series was filmed at the McFaul Creek Meadow, withMount Tallac in the background. In September 2004 the Ponderosa Ranch closed its doors, after being sold to developer David Duffield for an undisclosed price.[173][174]
The 1974 filmThe Godfather Part II used the lakeside estate Fleur de Lac as the location of several scenes, including the elaborate First Communion celebration, the Senator's shakedown attempt of Michael, the assassination attempt on Michael, Michael disowning Fredo, Carmela Corleone's funeral, Fredo's execution while fishing, and the closing scene of Michael sitting alone outside. Fleur de Lac, on the western California shore of Lake Tahoe, was formerly theHenry Kaiser estate. The surrounding lakeside area has been developed into a private gated condominium community and some of the buildings of the "Corleone compound" still exist, including the boathouse.[175]
The 2014 filmLast Weekend, starringPatricia Clarkson and directed byTom Dolby and Tom Williams, used the west shore lakefront home ofRay andDagmar Dolby as the primary location for its interiors and exteriors. The house, built in 1929, was also the site for the exteriors forA Place in the Sun, starringElizabeth Taylor andMontgomery Clift.[176] The 1988 filmThings Change was also filmed here.[177]
British rock bandA's song "Here We Go Again (I Love Lake Tahoe)" and the accompanying music video centers around the band's love for the lake and the surrounding holiday locations.
The lake is mentioned in the lyrics to the song "Unfair" by cult indie rock bandPavement.
The lake is the setting forKate Bush's song of the same name from the album50 Words for Snow. In the song, a woman who drowned in the lake is reunited with her beloved dog in the afterlife.[178] The song was accompanied by a video written and directed by Bush.
Apple'smacOS Tahoe was named after Lake Tahoe.[179]
This article incorporatespublic domain material fromFacts About Lake Tahoe.United States Geological Survey. Archived fromthe original on June 4, 2012. RetrievedOctober 26, 2008.
{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help) This article incorporatespublic domain material fromStream and Ground-Water Monitoring Program, Lake Tahoe Basin, Nevada and California.United States Geological Survey. RetrievedNovember 24, 2009.Between 1855 and 1900, six different surveys of California's eastern boundary were made. None of them agreed as to the location of the boundary or the 120th degree of longitude. Various surveys were conducted in 1855, 1863, 1872, 1889 and 1893. The 1872 Von Schmidt survey is the only one that was clearly marked along its entire length with stone, rock, wood and iron markers. The 1872 survey also was accepted longer than any other survey before its inaccuracy became widely known. It was not until 1893 that the Von Schmidt line was found to be 1,600 to 1,800 feet too far west. However, even after 1893, the Von Schmidt line remained the accepted boundary, and is still used more today than the more accurate 1893 version. Oddly enough, both the 1872 and 1893 lines have been recognized and are used by both California and Nevada.
The south face has the lettering inscribed – 1872 longitude 120 west of Greenwich A.W. Von Schmidt U.S. astronomer and surveyor
It was placed near the old blocks that mark the astronomical station of Van Schmidt.
navigable waters of the United States, navigable waters, and territorial waters mean...Internal waters of the United States not subject to tidal influence that:...Are or have been used, or are or have been susceptible for use, by themselves or in connection with other waters, as highways for substantial interstate or foreign commerce, notwithstanding natural or man-made obstructions that require portage...
Waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and waters over which the United States has jurisdiction mean the following waters...Navigable waters of the United States, as defined in § 2.36(a).
The Coast Guard shall—(1) enforce or assist in the enforcement of all applicable Federal laws on, under, and over the high seas and waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States;...(3) administer laws and promulgate and enforce regulations for the promotion of safety of life and property on and under the high seas and waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, covering all matters not specifically delegated by law to some other executive department
Navigable waters of the United States are those waters that are subject to the ebb and flow of the tide and/or are presently used, or have been used in the past, or may be susceptible for use to transport interstate or foreign commerce. A determination of navigability, once made, applies laterally over the entire surface of the waterbody, and is not extinguished by later actions or events which impede or destroy navigable capacity.
In the Zephyr Cove neighborhood Marla Bay, beachfront properties have suffered from two years of water levels well above the lake's natural rim, which sits at an elevation of 6,223 feet. ...the U.S. District Court Water Master...is required by law to keep the water below the surface elevation of 6,229.1 feet, the federal legal limit ..."I've pleaded with the water master to drop the lake, and he said he can't—he's bound by law," said Smith.
No individual, partnership, or corporation, claiming or possessing the frontage or tidal lands of ... navigable water in this State, shall be permitted to exclude the right of way to such water whenever it is required for any public purpose, nor to destroy or obstruct the free navigation of such water; and the Legislature shall enact such laws as will give the most liberal construction to this provision, so that access to the navigable waters of this State shall be always attainable for the people thereof.
The State is the owner of all land below tide water, and below ordinary high-water mark, bordering upon tide water within the State; of all land below the water of a navigable lake or stream; of all property lawfully appropriated by it to its own use; of all property dedicated to the State; and of all property of which there is no other owner.
Anything which is...an obstruction to the free use of property, so as to interfere with the comfortable enjoyment of life or property by an entire community or neighborhood, or by any considerable number of persons, or unlawfully obstructs the free passage or use, in the customary manner, of any navigable lake, or river, bay, stream, canal, or basin, or any public park, square, street, or highway, is a public nuisance.
Every person who maintains or commits any public nuisance, the punishment for which is not otherwise prescribed, or who willfully omits to perform any legal duty relating to the removal of a public nuisance, is guilty of a misdemeanor.
Every person...who unlawfully hinders, prevents, or obstructs free passage over or through the public lands of the United States within the State of California, for the purpose of entry...is guilty of a misdemeanor.
no possession by any person, firm or corporation no matter how long continued of any land, water, water right, easement, or other property whatsoever dedicated to a public use by a public utility, or dedicated to or owned by the state or any public entity, shall ever ripen into any title, interest or right against the owner thereof.
see satellite images
The following land burdens, or servitudes upon land, may be attached to other land as incidents or appurtenances, and are then called easements: The right-of-way
the person establishing a legal title to the property is presumed to have been possessed thereof within the time required by law, and the occupation of the property by any other person is deemed to have been under and in subordination to the legal title, unless it appear that the property has been held and possessed adversely to such legal title, for five years before the commencement of the action.
No action for the recovery of real property, or for the recovery of the possession thereof, can be maintained, unless it appear that the plaintiff, his ancestor, predecessor, or grantor, was seized or possessed of the property in question, within five years before the commencement of the action.
The extent of a servitude is determined by the terms of the grant, or the nature of the enjoyment by which it was acquired.
Commandeering Tenth Amendment prohibits the federal government from forcing states to pass or not pass certain legislation, or to enforce federal law.
The land above the high-water mark is private property with no public access in California and Nevada
Maximum legal limit...6,229.1; Natural rim of lake...6,223; Gage Datum...6,220
Pohl also argued the structure failed to extend beyond the high-water mark, as required under TRPA's definition of a pier. He pointed to "photographic evidence" showing that even at full capacity, Tahoe's waters did not extend underneath the structure....Topographical surveys that are part of the property's record show the structure stretches beyond the high-water mark.
This Constitution, and the laws of the United States which shall be made in pursuance thereof; and all treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the land; and the judges in every state shall be bound thereby, anything in the Constitution or laws of any State to the contrary notwithstanding.
The district courts shall have original jurisdiction of all civil actions arising under the Constitution, laws, or treaties of the United States.
Every person who, under color of any statute, ordinance, regulation, custom, or usage, of any State or Territory or the District of Columbia, subjects, or causes to be subjected, any citizen of the United States or other person within the jurisdiction thereof to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the Constitution and laws, shall be liable to the party injured in an action at law, suit in equity, or other proper proceeding for redress, except that in any action brought against a judicial officer for an act or omission taken in such officer's judicial capacity, injunctive relief shall not be granted unless a declaratory decree was violated or declaratory relief was unavailable.
Whoever, under color of any law, statute, ordinance, regulation, or custom, willfully subjects any person in any State, Territory, Commonwealth, Possession, or District to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States, or to different punishments, pains, or penalties, on account of such person being an alien, or by reason of his color, or race, than are prescribed for the punishment of citizens, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both;...
whoever, in any matter within the jurisdiction of the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of the Government of the United States, knowingly and willfully—(1) falsifies, conceals, or covers up by any trick, scheme, or device a material fact; (2) makes any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation; or (3) makes or uses any false writing or document knowing the same to contain any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or entry; shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 5 years...
Whoever knowingly alters, destroys, mutilates, conceals, covers up, falsifies, or makes a false entry in any record, document, or tangible object with the intent to impede, obstruct, or influence the investigation or proper administration of any matter within the jurisdiction of any department or agency of the United States or any case filed under title 11, or in relation to or contemplation of any such matter or case, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both.
Upon statehood, Nevada received title to all sovereign lands which are submerged beneath navigable bodies of water which at present include Lake Tahoe...
Upon statehood in 1864, title to the bed and banks of navigable water bodies passed from the federal government to the new state. It's important to note that there are currently a limited number of sovereign lands that the state claims; not all of Nevada's lakes and rivers are considered state owned. Here's a list of state owned sovereign lands:...Lake Tahoe, Truckee River...The state owns the bed and banks of these bodies of water, generally to the ordinary and permanent high water mark.
it is a public nuisance for any person:...By force, threat or intimidation, or by fencing or otherwise enclosing, or by any other unlawful means, to prevent or obstruct the free passage or transit over or through any:...State land or other public land; or...Land dedicated to public use; or...To knowingly misrepresent the status of or assert any right to the exclusive use and occupancy of...state land or other public land or land dedicated to public use, if the person has no leasehold interest, claim or color of title, made or asserted in good faith, in or to the...state land or other public land or land dedicated to public use
Every person who:...Shall commit or maintain a public nuisance, for which no special punishment is prescribed; or...Shall willfully omit or refuse to perform any legal duty relating to the removal of such nuisance; or...Shall let, or permit to be used, any building or boat, or portion thereof, knowing that it is intended to be, or is being used, for committing or maintaining any such nuisance, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
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