Lake Tahoe
Location	California, Nevada
Coordinates	39°1′N 120°1′W
Lake type	geologic block faulting
Primary outflows	Truckee River
Basin countries	United States
Max. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. Nevada ( is a state located in the western region of the United States of America. A lake (from Latin lacus) is a Terrain feature (or Physical feature) a body of Liquid on the surface of a world that is localized to the In Geology a fault, or fault line, is a planar rock fracture which shows evidence of relative movement In Hydrology, the discharge or outflow of a River is the volume of Water transported by it in a certain amount of time The Truckee River is a River 140 miles (225 km long in northern California and northern Nevada in the United States. A drainage basin is an extent of Land where Water from Rain or Snow melt drains downhill into a body of water such as a River, length	22 mi (35 km)
Max. width	12 mi (19 km)
Surface area	191 sq mi (490 km²)[1]
Average depth	989 ft (301 m)
Max. depth	1,645 ft (501 m)
Water volume	122,160,280 acre·ft (150. An acre-foot is a unit of Volume commonly used in the United States in reference to large-scale water resources such as reservoirs, Aqueducts 68249 km³)
Residence time (of lake water)	650 years
Shore length1	71 mi (114 km)
Surface elevation	6,229 ft (1,899 m)
Islands	Fannette Island
Settlements	South Lake Tahoe CA, Stateline NV, Tahoe City CA
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. CM3 redirects here If you were looking for the 3rd game in the Cooking Mama series abbreviated as CM3 see here. Lake retention time (also called the Residence time of lake water or the water age or flushing time) is a calculated quantity expressing the Fannette Island is the only island in Lake Tahoe, California / Nevada, United States. South Lake Tahoe is a city in El Dorado County, California, in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Stateline is a Census-designated place (CDP on the east shore of Lake Tahoe in Douglas County, Nevada, United States. Sunnyside-Tahoe City is a Census-designated place (CDP in Placer County, California, located on the northwest shore of Lake Tahoe.

Lake Tahoe is a large freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada mountains of the United States. Freshwater is a word that refers to bodies of water such as Ponds lakes rivers and streams containing low concentrations of dissolved Salts and other Total dissolved A lake (from Latin lacus) is a Terrain feature (or Physical feature) a body of Liquid on the surface of a world that is localized to the The Sierra Nevada ( Spanish for "Snowy Range" is a Mountain range located in the U The United States of America —commonly referred to as the It is located along the border between California and Nevada, west of Carson City, Nevada. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. Nevada ( is a state located in the western region of the United States of America. The lake is known for the clarity of its water and the panorama of surrounding mountains on all sides. The area surrounding the lake is also referred to as Lake Tahoe, or simply Tahoe. It is home to a number of ski resorts, summer outdoor recreation, and tourist attractions. A ski area is a developed recreational facility usually on a Mountain or large Hill, containing ski trails and vital supporting services

Contents 1 Geography 2 Natural history 2.1 Geology 2.2 Climate 2.3 Ecology 3 Human history 3.1 Native peoples 3.2 Exploration 3.3 Mining era 3.4 Development 3.5 Government and Politics 4 Environmental issues 4.1 Water quality 4.2 Ecosystem changes 4.3 Environmental protection 5 Tourist activities 5.1 Winter sports 5.2 Water sports 5.3 Hiking and mountain biking 5.4 Gambling 6 Highways 7 Miscellaneous facts 8 Peaks and mountains 9 See also 10 References 10.1 Further reading 11 External links

Geography

Lake Tahoe is the second deepest lake in the United States, with a maximum depth of 1,645 feet (501 m),^[1][2] trailing only Oregon's Crater Lake at 1,949 ft (594 m). Oregon ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Crater Lake is a Caldera Lake located in the US state of Oregon. ^[2] Tahoe is also the 16th deepest lake in the world, and the fifth deepest in average depth. This page lists the world's deepest Lakes Lakes ranked by maximum depth Currently this list contains all lakes whose maximum depth is reliably known to exceed [1]^[2] 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 (495 km²).

Approximately two-thirds of the shoreline is in California. The south shore is dominated by the lake's largest city, South Lake Tahoe, California, which adjoins the town of Stateline, Nevada, while Tahoe City, California is located on the lake's northwest shore. South Lake Tahoe is a city in El Dorado County, California, in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Stateline is a Census-designated place (CDP on the east shore of Lake Tahoe in Douglas County, Nevada, United States. Sunnyside-Tahoe City is a Census-designated place (CDP in Placer County, California, located on the northwest shore of Lake Tahoe. Although highways run within sight of the lake shore for much of Tahoe's perimeter, many important parts of the shoreline now lie within state parks or are protected by the United States Forest Service.

Natural history

Geology

The Lake Tahoe Basin was formed by a geologic block (normal) faulting about 2 million years ago. In Geology a fault, or fault line, is a planar rock fracture which shows evidence of relative movement A geologic block fault is a fracture in the earth's crust causing blocks of land to move up or down. Uplifted blocks created the Carson Range on the east and the Sierra Nevada on the west. The Carson Range is a range of mountains in eastern California and western Nevada that spurs off of the Sierra Nevada mountain range south of The Sierra Nevada ( Spanish for "Snowy Range" is a Mountain range located in the U Down-dropped blocks (a graben) created the Lake Tahoe Basin in between. A graben is a depressed block of land bordered by parallel faults Graben is German for ditch. ^[1]

More technically, Lake Tahoe is the youngest of several extensional basins of the Walker Lane Deformation Belt that accommodates nearly 12 mm/yr of dextral shear between the Sierra Nevada Microplate and North America. The North American Plate is a Tectonic plate covering most of North America, Greenland and part of Siberia. ^[3][4] The Tahoe basin is formed by a series of large down-to-the-east normal faults, including the West Tahoe—Dollar Point fault, Stateline/North Tahoe fault and the Incline Village fault. ^[5] These right-stepping en-echelon faults are capable of large magnitude 7 earthquakes, with the most recent M7 paleoquake (~1500 AD) occurring on the Incline Village fault with nearly 3 m of vertical offset^[6]

Some of the highest peaks of the Lake Tahoe Basin that formed during process of Lake Tahoe creation are Freel Peak at 10,891 ft (3,320 m), Monument Peak at 10,067 ft (3,068 m) (the present Heavenly Ski Resort), Pyramid Peak at 9,983 ft (3,043 m) (in the Desolation Wilderness), and Mount Tallac at 9,735 ft (2,967 m). The Richter magnitude scale, or more correctly local magnitude M L scale assigns a single number to quantify the amount of seismic energy released Freel Peak is a Mountain located in the Carson Range near Lake Tahoe in California. Pyramid Peak is a mountain in the Sierra Nevada mountain range within the subrange of the Crystal Mountains (California, to the west of Lake Tahoe The Desolation Wilderness is a 63690 acre (258 km² Wilderness area located along the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range just west of Lake Tahoe Mount Tallac is a Mountain peak southwest of Lake Tahoe, in El Dorado County California, United States.

Eruptions from the extinct volcano Mount Pluto formed a dam on the north side. Plate tectonics and hotspots Divergent plate boundaries At the Mount Pluto is an Extinct volcano in the Granite Chief Range near Lake Tahoe, California. Melting snow filled the southern and lowest part of the basin to form the ancestral Lake Tahoe. Rain and runoff added additional water.

Modern Lake Tahoe was shaped and landscaped by scouring glaciers during the Ice Ages, which began a million or more years ago. "Glacial" and "Glaciation" redirect here For the geological periods see Glacial period. An ice age is a period of long-term reduction in the Temperature of the Earth 's surface and atmosphere resulting in an expansion of continental Ice sheets Many streams flow into Lake Tahoe, but the lake is drained only by the Truckee River, which flows northeast through Reno, Nevada and into Pyramid Lake, Nevada which has no outlet. The Truckee River is a River 140 miles (225 km long in northern California and northern Nevada in the United States. Pyramid Lake is an Endorheic salt lake, approximately 188 Square miles (487  km ² in area in the Great Basin in the northwestern

Soils of the basin come primarily from andesitic volcanic rocks and granodiorite, with minor areas of metamorphic rock. For the extinct cephalopod genus see Andesites. Andesite (ˈændəsaɪt is an igneous, Volcanic rock, of intermediate Granodiorite (ˌgrænəˈdaɪəraɪt/ /ˌgreɪn- is an intrusive Igneous rock similar to Granite, but contains more Plagioclase than Potassium feldspar Metamorphic rock is the result of the transformation of an existing rock type the protolith, in a process called Metamorphism, which means "change Some of the valley bottoms and lower hill slopes are mantled with glacial moraines, or glacial outwash material derived from the parent rock. Moraine refers to any glacially formed accumulation of unconsolidated glacial debris (soil and rock which can occur in currently glaciated and formerly glaciated regions such as those Cryopsamments, Cryumbrepts, rockland, rock outcrops and rubble and stony colluvium account for over 70% of the land area in the basin (see USA soil taxonomy). Colluvium is the name for loose bodies of Sediment that have been deposited or built up at the bottom of a low-grade slope or against a barrier on that slope transported by 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 within the deepest portions of the lake, modeling suggests that earthquakes on these faults can trigger tsunamis. A tsunami ((tsuːˈnɑːmi is a series of waves created when Wave heights of these tsunamis are predicted to be on the order of 3 to 10 m in height, capable of traversing the lake in just a few minutes. ^[7] A massive collapse of the western edge of the basin that formed McKinney Bay around 50,000 years ago is thought to have generated tsunami/seiche wave with height approaching 100 m. Seiche is also a French term for a type of Cuttlefish (Sepiida ^[8]

Climate

Mean annual precipitation ranges from over 55 inches (1400 mm) in 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, summertime monsoon storms from the Great Basin bring intense rainfall, especially to high elevations on the east side of the basin. A monsoon is a seasonal prevailing wind which lasts for several months

The National Weather Service reports that August is normally the warmest month at the Tahoe Valley Airport (elevation 6,254 ft/1,906 m) with an average maximum of 78. The National Weather Service ( NWS) once known as the Weather Bureau is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 7 °F (29. 5 °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. 2 °C) was recorded on July 22, 1988. The all-time minimum of -29 °F (-33. 9 °C) was recorded on December 9, 1972, and February 7, 1989. Temperatures exceed 90 °F (32. 2 °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 (-17. 8°C) or lower occur on an average of 7. 6 days annually. Freezing temperatures have occurred every month of the year. No precipitation statistics are available for the airport.

Ecology

Vegetation in the basin is dominated by a mixed conifer forest of Jeffrey pine (P. Angora Lakes is a collection of small freshwater Lakes in the Sierra Nevada, located approximately 1200 feet (370 m in elevation above Fallen Leaf Jeffrey Pine ( Pinus jeffreyi) named in honor of its documenter John Jeffrey, is a North American Pine related to Ponderosa Pine Jeffreyi), lodgepole pine (P. Lodgepole Pine ( Pinus contorta) is a common Tree in western North America. contorta), white fir (Abies concolor), and red fir (A. White Fir ( Abies concolor) is a Fir native to the Mountains of western North America, occurring at altitudes of 900-3400 m The Red Fir ( Abies magnifica) is a western North American Fir, native to the Mountains of southwest Oregon and California magnifica). The basin also contains significant areas of wet meadows and riparian areas, dry meadows, brush fields (with Arctostaphylos and Ceanothus) and rock outcrop areas, especially at higher elevations. A wet meadow is a semi- Wetland Meadow which is saturated with Water throughout much of the year "Riparian" redirects here For the legal doctrine see " Riparian water rights. A meadow is a field vegetated primarily by Grass and other non- Woody plants. The genus Arctostaphylos, the manzanitas and bearberries, are Shrubs or small Trees characterised by smooth orange or red bark Ceanothus L is a Genus of about 50–60 species of Shrubs or small Trees in the buckthorn family Rhamnaceae. Outcrop is a geological term referring to the appearance of Bedrock or Superficial deposits exposed at the surface of the Earth Ceanothus is capable of fixing nitrogen, but mountain 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. Nitrogen fixation is the process by which Nitrogen is taken from its natural relatively inert molecular form (N2 in the atmosphere and converted into

Human history

Native peoples

The area around Lake Tahoe was originally inhabited by the Washoe tribe of Native Americans. Washo People The Washo are a Native American people who originally lived around Lake Tahoe and adjacent areas of the Great Basin. Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States Lake Tahoe was the center and heart of Washoe Indian territory, including the upper valleys of the Walker, Carson, and Truckee Rivers. The English name for lake Tahoe derives from the Washo dá’aw, "lake". The Washo language (also Washoe) is an endangered Native American Language isolate spoken by the Washo on the California ^[9]

Exploration

Lt. John C. Frémont and Kit Carson were the first non-indigenous people to see Lake Tahoe, during Fremont's second exploratory expedition. John Charles Frémont ( January 21, 1813 July 13, 1890) was an American military officer, explorer, the Christopher Houston "Kit" Carson ( December 24, 1809 &ndash May 23, 1868) was an American Frontiersman John Calhoun Johnson, Sierra explorer and founder of "Johnson's Cutoff" (now Hwy 50), was the first white man to see Meeks Bay and from a peak above the lake he named "Fallen Leaf Lake, California" after his Indian guide. John Calhoun Johnson (died September 13 1876) was a native of Deersville Ohio, who practiced law and operated a ranch in California. Fallen Leaf Lake is about one mile south of the much larger Lake Tahoe, near the California - Nevada state border His first job in the west was in the government service, carrying the mail on snowshoes from Placerville to Nevada City, during which time he named the lake "Lake Bigler" in honor of California’s governor John Bigler. John Bigler ( January 8 1805 November 29 1871) was an American lawyer politician and diplomat In 1853 William Eddy, the surveyor general of California, identified Tahoe as Lake Bigler. In 1862 the U.S. Department of the Interior first introduced the name Tahoe. The United States Department of the Interior ( DOI) is a Cabinet department of the United States government that manages and conserves most federally Both names were used until well into the next century. The lake didn't receive its official and final designation as Lake Tahoe until 1945.

California and Nevada reached the compromise to partition Tahoe between the two when California became a state. With the state line through the middle of the lake and then at 39 degrees north latitude, the state border runs southeasterly towards the Colorado River. The Colorado River (' Aha Kwahwat in Mojave) is a River in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately

Mining era

Upon discovery of gold in the South Fork of the American River in 1848, thousands of gold seekers going west passed near the basin on their way to the gold fields. Gold (ˈɡoʊld is a Chemical element with the symbol Au (from its Latin name aurum) and Atomic number 79 American River ( Río de los Americanos in the Mexican period located in the US state of California, has a prominent place in United States history for European civilization first made its mark in the Lake Tahoe basin with the 1858 discovery of the Comstock Lode, a silver deposit just 15 miles (24 km) to the east in Virginia City, Nevada. The Comstock Lode was the first major US deposit of Silver Ore, discovered under what is now Virginia City Nevada on the eastern slope of Mt From 1858 until about 1890, logging in the basin supplied large timbers to shore up the underground workings of the Comstock mines. The logging was so extensive that loggers cut down almost all of the native forest. In 1864, Tahoe City was founded as a resort community for Virginia City, the first recognition of the basin’s potential as a destination resort area. ^[10]

Development

Public appreciation of the Tahoe basin grew, and during the 1912, 1913, and 1918 congressional sessions, congressmen tried unsuccessfully to designate the basin as a national park. Dates of sessions March 4 1911 - March 4 1913 First session April 4 1911 - August 22 Dates of sessions March 4, 1917 - March 4, 1919 Special session of the Senate March 5, 1917 - March 16 The National Park Service ( NPS) is the United States federal agency that manages all National Parks, many National Monuments, and other conservation 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 the 1960 Squaw Valley Olympics, resulted in a dramatic increase in development within the basin. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The 1960 Winter Olympics, officially known as the VIII Olympic Winter Games, were a winter Multi-sport event which was celebrated between February 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. ^[10] Since the 1980s, development has slowed due to controls on land use.

Government and Politics

Lake Tahoe lies within the borders of both California and Nevada, and as such is not governed by any single entity. In California, Lake Tahoe is divided between Placer County and El Dorado County. Placer County (from Spanish: placer - "pleasure" is a county located in the Sierra Nevada of the U El Dorado County is a County located in the Gold Country of the U In Nevada, Lake Tahoe is divided among Washoe County, Douglas County and Carson City (an independent city). Washoe County is a County located in the US state of Nevada. The population was 339486 at the 2000 census; 2006 Census Bureau Douglas County is a County located in the northwestern part of the U An independent city is a City that does not form part of another general-purpose Local government entity

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) is a federal regulatory agency which is charged with environmental protection of the Lake Tahoe Basin through land-use regulation and planning. The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (or TRPA was formed in 1969 through a bi-state compact between California and Nevada which was ratified by the U ^[11]

As an interstate waterway, Lake Tahoe is subject to the United States Coast Guard (USCG).

Environmental issues

Water quality

In spite of land-use planning and export of treated sewage effluent from the basin, the lake is becoming increasingly eutrophic (having an excessive richness of nutrients), with primary productivity increasing by more than 5% annually, and clarity decreasing at an average rate of 0. Sewage is the mainly liquid Waste containing some solids produced by humans which typically consists of washing water Feces, Urine, laundry waste and other A eutrophic lake (Eu meaning good/well and trophic meaning food/nutrients is a lake with high Primary productivity, the result of high Nutrient content 25 meters per year. Fine sediment, much of it resulting from land disturbance in the basin, accounts for about half of the loss in clarity. Sediment is any particulate matter that can be transported by fluid flow and which eventually is deposited as a layer of solid particles on the bed or bottom of a body of Charles Goldman from UC Davis was directly responsible for prompting Tahoe officials to pump all sewage effluent from the basin when Tahoe was being greatly developed in the 1950s. The University of California Davis, commonly known as UC Davis, or just UCD, is a public coeducational university located in the city of Davis, Goldman made local officials understand that even treated sewage would greatly affect the water quality of Lake Tahoe. ^[12]

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. Because the volume of the lake is so large (156 km³) and its hydraulic residence time so long (about 650 years), its eutrophication may be essentially irreversible.

Lake Tahoe never freezes. Since 1970, it has mixed to a depth of at least 400 m a total of 6 or 7 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. 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 on water clarity and nutrient cycling.

Ecosystem changes

Since the 1960s, the Lake's food web and zooplankton populations have undergone major changes. In 1963–65, opossum shrimp (Mysis relicta) were introduced to enhance the food supply for the introduced Kokanee salmon (Onchorhynchus nerka). The shrimp began feeding on the Lake's cladocerans (Daphnia and Bosmina), and their populations virtually disappeared by 1971. The shrimp provide a food resource for salmon and trout, but also compete with juvenile fish for zooplankton. Since the 1970s, the cladoceran populations have somewhat recovered, but not to former levels.

Lake Tahoe is actually 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. The Truckee River is a River 140 miles (225 km long in northern California and northern Nevada in the United States. Pyramid Lake is an Endorheic salt lake, approximately 188 Square miles (487  km ² in area in the Great Basin in the northwestern Because of the sensitivity of Truckee River water quality (involving two protected species, the cui-ui sucker fish and the Lahontan cutthroat trout), this drainage basin has been studied extensively. The cui-ui, Chasmistes cujus, is a large sucker Fish endemic to Pyramid Lake in northwestern Nevada. Catostomidae is the sucker family of the order Cypriniformes. Lahontan cutthroat trout ( Oncorhynchus clarki henshawi) is the largest Cutthroat trout Subspecies, and the state fish of Nevada The primary investigations were stimulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, who funded the development of the DSSAM model to analyze water quality below Lake Tahoe. The DSSAM Model (Dynamic Stream Simulation and AssessmentModel is a Computer simulation developed for the Truckee River to analyze water quality An hydrological transport model is a Mathematical model used to simulate river or Stream flow and calculate water quality parameters

In June 2007, the Angora Fire burned approximately 3,100 acres (13 km²) throughout the South Lake Tahoe area. The Angora Fire was a wind driven fire that started near North Upper Truckee Road subdivision near Angora Lakes, Fallen Leaf Lake, Echo Lake and South South Lake Tahoe is a city in El Dorado County, California, in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. 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. ^[13]

Environmental protection

Until recently, construction on the banks of the Lake had been largely under the control of wealthy real estate developers. Construction activities have resulted in a clouding of the lake's blue waters. In the fields of Architecture and Civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the Building or assembling of Infrastructure Currently, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency is regulating construction along the shoreline (and has won two Federal Supreme Court battles over recent decisions). The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (or TRPA was formed in 1969 through a bi-state compact between California and Nevada which was ratified by the U These regulations are unpopular with many residents, especially those in the Tahoe Lakefront Homeowners Association.

The League to Save Lake Tahoe (Keep Tahoe Blue) has been the public interest watchdog in the Lake Tahoe Basin for 50 years. Emerald Bay State Park is a state park located around Emerald Bay, a National Natural Landmark, at Lake Tahoe, California. 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 repeatedly thwarted poorly designed development projects and environmentally unsound planning. Currently evaluating the "Pathways 2007" comprehensive plan being developed by TRPA, the League embraces responsible and diversified use of the Lake's resources while protecting and restoring its natural attributes.

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 on urban 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.

Tourist activities

Much of the area surrounding Lake Tahoe is devoted to the tourism industry and there are many restaurants, ski slopes and casinos catering to visitors. A casino is in the modern sense of the word a facility that houses and accommodates certain types of Gambling activities

Winter sports

During ski season, thousands of people from all over Nevada and California, including Las Vegas, Los Angeles San Diego and San Francisco, flock to the slopes for some of the best skiing in the world. A ski is a long flat device worn on the feet designed to help the wearer slide smoothly over snow Nevada ( is a state located in the western region of the United States of America. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. Las Vegas ( Spanish: "The Meadows" is the most populous City in the state of Nevada, the seat of Clark County, and an internationally Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth most populous city Snow skiing is a group of sports utilizing Skis as primary equipment Lake Tahoe, in addition to its panoramic beauty, is well known for its blizzards. A blizzard is a severe Winter storm condition characterized by low Temperatures strong Winds and heavy blowing Snow Blizzards are formed when

Some of the major ski areas in Tahoe include:

• Heavenly Mountain Resort: the largest ski area in California and Nevada, located near Stateline, Nevada
• Squaw Valley: the second largest ski area, known for its hosting of the 1960 Winter Olympics, located near Tahoe City
• Alpine Meadows: a medium sized ski area on the north shore only a few miles from Squaw Valley
• Diamond Peak: a small ski area located in Incline Village, Nevada
• Northstar at Tahoe: a popular north shore ski area
• Kirkwood Mountain Resort: a south shore ski area which gets more snow than any other ski area in Tahoe
• Sierra-at-Tahoe: a small south shore ski area
• Boreal Mountain Resort: a small ski area on Donner Pass
• Sugar Bowl Ski Resort: a medium sized ski area in Donner Pass
• Donner Ski Ranch: a very small ski area on Donner Pass
• Homewood Ski Resort: a medium sized ski area on the west shore
• Mount Rose Ski Resort: a medium sized ski area north-east of the Lake, on Slide Mountain

The majority of the ski resorts in the Lake Tahoe region are on the northern end of the lake, near Truckee, California and Reno, Nevada. Stateline is a Census-designated place (CDP on the east shore of Lake Tahoe in Douglas County, Nevada, United States. The Squaw Valley Ski Resort in Olympic Valley California, is one of the largest and most high-concept ski areas in the United States, and was The Winter Olympic Games are a winter Multi-sport event held every four years Sunnyside-Tahoe City is a Census-designated place (CDP in Placer County, California, located on the northwest shore of Lake Tahoe. For the bed and breakfast inn in British Columbia Canada see Alpine Meadows Lodge. Diamond Peak is a small Ski resort located in Incline Village NV at Northern Lake Tahoe. Incline Village-Crystal Bay is a Census-designated place (CDP in Washoe County, Nevada on the north shore of Lake Tahoe. Northstar at Tahoe is a year-round resort situated near the North Shore of Lake Tahoe, approximately from the San Francisco Bay Area. Kirkwood Mountain Resort is a ski and snowboard resort in Kirkwood California to the south of Lake Tahoe. Sierra-at-Tahoe is a ski and snowboard resort in Twin Bridges California, USA to the south of Lake Tahoe. Boreal Mountain Resort is a Ski resort in Soda Springs, near the Lake Tahoe area of California. Donner Pass (el 7085 ft / 2160 m is a high Mountain pass in the northern Sierra Nevada, located above Donner Lake about nine miles west Sugar Bowl is a ski and snowboard area in Norden California along the Donner Pass of the Sierra Nevada, approximately 46 miles Truckee is an incorporated town in Nevada County, California, United States. Kirkwood, Sierra-at-Tahoe and Heavenly are located on the southern side of the lake, approximately 80 miles (129 km) from Reno. Kirkwood Mountain Resort is a ski and snowboard resort in Kirkwood California to the south of Lake Tahoe. Sierra-at-Tahoe is a ski and snowboard resort in Twin Bridges California, USA to the south of Lake Tahoe. It is common for visitors to ski amongst these 3 resorts when staying in Southern Lake Tahoe and not venture to the northern lake resorts (Squaw Valley, Northstar at Tahoe, Sugar Bowl, etc. The Squaw Valley Ski Resort in Olympic Valley California, is one of the largest and most high-concept ski areas in the United States, and was Northstar at Tahoe is a year-round resort situated near the North Shore of Lake Tahoe, approximately from the San Francisco Bay Area. Sugar Bowl is a ski and snowboard area in Norden California along the Donner Pass of the Sierra Nevada, approximately 46 miles ).

For an instant overview of the locations and conditions of Tahoe ski resorts, see Ski Bonk's resort map.

Scattered throughout Tahoe are public and private sled parks. A sled, sledge or sleigh is a Vehicle with runners for sliding instead of wheels for rolling Some, such as Granlibakken are equipped with rope tows to help sledders get up the hill. A ski tow, also called rope tow or handle tow, is a mechanised system for pulling skiers and Snowboarders uphill

Many ski areas in Tahoe also have Snow tubing, such as Squaw Valley. Tubing, also known as inner tubing or even toobing, is a recreational activity of riding an Inner tube, either on water Snow, or through Snow tubing is popular among people who are interested in alternative sports. Throughout Tahoe, Cross Country Skiing, Snowmobile riding, and Snowshoeing are also popular, thus there are many trails for them. Cross-country skiing (also known as XC skiing) is a Winter sport popular in many countries with large snowfields primarily Northern Europe, A snowmobile (known locally as snowmachine, snowsled or by the Brandname Ski-Doo) is a land vehicle that is commonly propelled by Development of snowshoes Origins Before humanity built snowshoes nature provided examples

Water sports

During late Spring to early Fall, the lake is popular for water sports and beach activities. The two cities most identified with the Lake Tahoe tourist area are South Lake Tahoe, California and the smaller Stateline, Nevada; smaller centers on the northern shoreline include Tahoe City and Kings Beach. Tourism is Travel for Recreational or Leisure purposes The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel South Lake Tahoe is a city in El Dorado County, California, in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Stateline is a Census-designated place (CDP on the east shore of Lake Tahoe in Douglas County, Nevada, United States. Sunnyside-Tahoe City is a Census-designated place (CDP in Placer County, California, located on the northwest shore of Lake Tahoe. For the suburb & beach in Queensland, Australia, see Kings Beach Queensland.

Boating, the primary activity in Tahoe in the summer, is known worldwide. There are lakefront restaurants all over the lake, most equipped with docks and buoys (See the restaurants section) There are all sorts of boating events, such as sailboat racing, firework shows over the lake, guided cruises, and more. A pier is a raised Walkway over water supported by widely spread Piles or pillars. Lake Tahoe also has its own Coast Guard. A coast guard is a national organization responsible for various services at sea

Hiking and mountain biking

There are hundreds of hiking and mountain biking trails all around the lake. They range in length, difficulty, and popularity. One of the most famous of Tahoe's trails is the Tahoe Rim Trail, a 165 mile (270 km) trail that circumnavigates the lake. The Tahoe Rim Trail is a 165-mile (266 km long-distance hiking trail which forms a loop around Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada and Carson ranges of Directly to the west of the lake is the Granite Chief Wilderness, which provides great hiking and wilderness camping. The Granite Chief Wilderness is a 19048 acre (77 km²federally designated wilderness area of the Tahoe National Forest. Also, to the southwest is the very popular Desolation Wilderness. The Desolation Wilderness is a 63690 acre (258 km² Wilderness area located along the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range just west of Lake Tahoe One of the most popular trailheads is the Eagle Lake Trailhead. The Eagle Falls Trailhead or Eagle Lake Trailhead is located on HWY 89 a few miles north of South Lake Tahoe CA at Emerald Bay State Park on the western

Gambling

Gambling is legal on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe. Casinos, each with a variety of slot and video machines and table games, are located on the South Shore in Stateline, and on the North Shore in Crystal Bay and Incline Village. A casino is in the modern sense of the word a facility that houses and accommodates certain types of Gambling activities Stateline is a Census-designated place (CDP on the east shore of Lake Tahoe in Douglas County, Nevada, United States. Incline Village-Crystal Bay is a Census-designated place (CDP in Washoe County, Nevada on the north shore of Lake Tahoe.

North Shore - Crystal Bay:

• Cal Neva Lodge & Casino
• Crystal Bay Club
• Jim Kelley's Tahoe Nugget
• Tahoe Biltmore Lodge & Casino

North Shore - Incline Village:

• Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa & Casino

South Shore - Stateline:

• Bill's Casino Lake Tahoe
• Harrah's Lake Tahoe
• Harvey's Lake Tahoe Casino and Resort
• Horizon Casino Resort
• Lakeside Inn
• MontBleu Resort Casino & Spa

Highways

Visitors can reach Lake Tahoe in 2 hours from the Sacramento area via U.S. Route 50. Incline Village-Crystal Bay is a Census-designated place (CDP in Washoe County, Nevada on the north shore of Lake Tahoe. Hyatt is an international brand of hotels within the Global Hyatt Corporation that operates numerous properties Bill's Lake Tahoe, is a Lake Tahoe casino in Stateline Nevada operated by and connected to next-door Harrah's Lake Tahoe. Harrah's Lake Tahoe, is a resort casino in South Lake Tahoe at Stateline Nevada. Harveys Lake Tahoe is a resort located in Stateline Nevada. The hotel has 740 rooms and suites as well as six Restaurants, and a Casino with 87500 square Lake Tahoe Horizon Casino Resort is a resort casino in South Lake Tahoe at Stateline Nevada. MontBleu Resort Casino & Spa, located in Stateline, Nevada, is owned and operated by Tropicana Entertainment, a division of Columbia Sussex In the US state of California, US Route 50 (US 50 runs east from I-80 in West Sacramento to the Nevada state line in South In winter months, chains or snow tires are sometimes necessary, particularly from the communities of Twin Bridges to Meyers which is on the other side of the Sierra Nevada. Twin Bridges is a small unincorporated community on US Route 50 near the Desolation Wilderness in El Dorado County, California Meyers is a small unincorporated community in El Dorado County, California, United States, along U The Sierra Nevada ( Spanish for "Snowy Range" is a Mountain range located in the U Highway 50 passes the Lake Tahoe Airport en route to shoreline communities and eventually Stateline, Nevada. Lake Tahoe Airport is a public Airport located three miles (3 Stateline is a Census-designated place (CDP on the east shore of Lake Tahoe in Douglas County, Nevada, United States. The Pioneer Trail is an effective bypass for reaching the popular casinos at Stateline and the Heavenly Mountain Resort, after which it re-connects with Highway 50. Stateline is a Census-designated place (CDP on the east shore of Lake Tahoe in Douglas County, Nevada, United States. After following the eastern shoreline northbound through Zephyr Cove and Glenbrook, it heads sharply east over the Carson Range and down into the valley towards Carson City, Nevada. Zephyr Cove-Round Hill Village is a Census-designated place (CDP in Douglas County, Nevada, United States. Glenbrook is the name of several places;Ireland Glenbrook County Cork, a small area in County Cork on the southeast tip of Ireland;Canada

The other primary route to Lake Tahoe is on Interstate 80 that goes over Donner Pass and through Truckee and then on to Reno. In the US state of California, Interstate 80, a major east-west route of the Interstate Highway System, has its western terminus in San Francisco Donner Pass (el 7085 ft / 2160 m is a high Mountain pass in the northern Sierra Nevada, located above Donner Lake about nine miles west Truckee is an incorporated town in Nevada County, California, United States. Once in Truckee one can take highway 267 or Highway 89 to Kings Beach or Tahoe City, respectively, on the north shore of the lake. Truckee is an incorporated town in Nevada County, California, United States. State Route 89 is a California State Highway that travels in the North-South direction and is the major thoroughfare for many mountain communities Unlike U.S. Route 50 which is a 2 lane highway through the Sierra Nevada, Interstate 80 is a 4 lane highway. In the US state of California, US Route 50 (US 50 runs east from I-80 in West Sacramento to the Nevada state line in South The Sierra Nevada ( Spanish for "Snowy Range" is a Mountain range located in the U In the US state of California, Interstate 80, a major east-west route of the Interstate Highway System, has its western terminus in San Francisco

Highway 89 splits off before South Lake Tahoe at an intersection known as "The Y. State Route 89 is a California State Highway that travels in the North-South direction and is the major thoroughfare for many mountain communities South Lake Tahoe is a city in El Dorado County, California, in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. " It crosses the western edge 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 and Camp Richardson. Emerald Bay State Park is a state park located around Emerald Bay, a National Natural Landmark, at Lake Tahoe, California. D L Bliss State Park is a California State park located on the west shore of Lake Tahoe approximately 25 miles (40 km north of the city of South Lake Tahoe Farther along are communities such as Meeks Bay and Tahoe City. Sunnyside-Tahoe City is a Census-designated place (CDP in Placer County, California, located on the northwest shore of Lake Tahoe. Finally, the highway turns away from the lake and heads northwest toward Truckee. Truckee is an incorporated town in Nevada County, California, United States.

Highway 28 completes the circuit from Tahoe City up and around the northern shore to communities such as Kings Beach, Crystal Bay, and into Incline Village, Nevada. State Route 28 is a State highway in the US State of California that travels along the northern shore of Lake Tahoe, starting at Route Sunnyside-Tahoe City is a Census-designated place (CDP in Placer County, California, located on the northwest shore of Lake Tahoe. For the suburb & beach in Queensland, Australia, see Kings Beach Queensland. Incline Village-Crystal Bay is a Census-designated place (CDP in Washoe County, Nevada on the north shore of Lake Tahoe. Both a California and Nevada State Highway, Route 28 returns along the eastern shore to meet up with US Highway 50 near Spooner Lake.

Other roads include State Route 431, which connects to Reno, Nevada, from the north shore. Drivers from the south shore would take U.S. Route 50 to Carson City and then head north on U.S. Route 395 into Reno. US Route 50 is a major east-west route of the US Highway system, stretching just over 3000 miles (4800 km from Ocean City Maryland on the Atlantic Ocean US Route 395 is a US Route in the western United States. The southern terminus of the route is in the Mojave Desert at Interstate 15 near State Route 207, also known as the Kingsbury Grade, heads over the Carson Range and into Carson Valley communities beyond. State Route 207 or the Kingsbury Grade is an 112 mile (18 kmroad in Douglas County Nevada that connects U

Miscellaneous facts

• Although Lake Tahoe is a natural lake, it is also used for water storage by the Truckee-Carson Irrigation District (TCID). TCID may also stand for "Tissue Culture Infectious Dose" The Truckee-Carson Irrigation District (TCID is a Political subdivision The lake level is controlled by a dam at the lake's only outlet, the Truckee River, at Tahoe City. A dam is a barrier that divides waters. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water while other structures such as Floodgates, Levees The Truckee River is a River 140 miles (225 km long in northern California and northern Nevada in the United States. Sunnyside-Tahoe City is a Census-designated place (CDP in Placer County, California, located on the northwest shore of Lake Tahoe. The dam only increases the lake's capacity by 732,000 acre feet (903,000,000 m³) and it only controls the top 6 feet (2 m) of the lake.
• Vehicles Impact Lake Clarity - During peak season, cars and trucks driving in the Tahoe Basin account for 1 million vehicle miles per day, traveling on roads surrounding the 72-mile lake.

• Emerald Bay, in the west side of the lake, is a National Natural Landmark, and is protected by Emerald Bay State Park

• Fannette Island is the lake's only island. Emerald Bay State Park is a state park located around Emerald Bay, a National Natural Landmark, at Lake Tahoe, California. The National Natural Landmark (NNL program recognizes and encourages the conservation of outstanding examples of the United States ' natural history Emerald Bay State Park is a state park located around Emerald Bay, a National Natural Landmark, at Lake Tahoe, California. Fannette Island is the only island in Lake Tahoe, California / Nevada, United States. It is also protected by Emerald Bay State Park.

• The Chevrolet Tahoe SUV is named after the lake. The Chevrolet Tahoe (and very similar GMC Yukon) is a Full-size SUV from General Motors. A sport utility vehicle ( SUV) is a generic marketing description for a rugged automotive vehicle similar to a Station wagon but built on a light-truck chassis

• The North Shore features the Cal Neva Resort (once owned by Frank Sinatra) which has a marked state line running through it (even through its swimming pool). Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra (December 12 1915 &ndash May 14 1998 was an American singer and actor

• Mark Twain accidentally started a forest fire in Lake Tahoe as described in Chapter XXIII of Roughing It. Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30 1835 – April 21 1910 better known by the Pen name Mark Twain, was an American Humorist, satirist Roughing It is semi-autobiographical Travel literature written by American humorist Mark Twain. Twain used dramatic license in many of his books-whether he really started a fire is open to debate. He also remarked that due to its remarkable clarity and vivid blue hue, boating on the lake was akin to floating on the air.

• The fictitious Ponderosa Ranch of the TV series Bonanza is located in the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe. The Ponderosa Ranch was a theme park based on the popular 1960s Television western Bonanza. Bonanza is an American television series that ran on NBC from September 12 1959 to January 16 1973 Nevada ( is a state located in the western region of the United States of America.

• In the motion picture The Godfather Part II, the Corleone family lived in a compound on the shores of the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe. The Godfather Part II is a 1974 Crime drama film directed by Francis Ford Coppola from a script co-written with Mario Puzo. Nevada ( is a state located in the western region of the United States of America. In a famous scene from the final minutes of the film, Fredo Corleone is taken out onto the lake for a fishing trip, only to be executed for treachery, on the orders of his brother Michael (Al Pacino), who watches from the shore. Alfredo James “Al” Pacino (born April 25 1940 is an Academy - BAFTA - Golden Globe - Emmy - & Screen Actors Guild Award-Winning The house and grounds portrayed in the film are actually located on the California side of Lake Tahoe: Fleur du Lac, the summer estate of Henry J. Kaiser. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. Henry John Kaiser ( May 9, 1882 — August 24, 1967) was an American Industrialist who became known as the father of modern American The only structures used in the movie that still remain are the complex of old native stone boathouses with their wrought iron gates. Although Fleur du Lac is private property and no one is allowed ashore there, the boathouses and multi-million dollar condominiums are easily viewed from the lake.

Peaks and mountains

Mount Tallac 9,735 ft (2,967 m) Mount Pluto 8,610 ft (2,624 m) Rubicon Peak 9,183 ft (2,799 m) Genoa Peak 9,150 ft (2,789 m) Freel Peak 10,881 ft (3,317 m) Mount Rose 10,778 ft (3,285 m) Ellis Peak 8,740 ft (2,664 m) Scott Peak 8,289 ft (2,526 m)

Ward Peak 8,637 ft (2,633 m) Dick's Peak 9,974 ft (3,040 m) Maggies Peak 8,699 ft (2,651 m) Jakes Peak 9,187 ft (2,800 m) Monument Peak 10,067 ft (3,068 m) Duane Bliss Peak 8,729 ft (2,661 m) Jobs Peak 10,633 ft (3,241 m)

Jobs Sister 10,823 ft (3,299 m) Stevens Peak 10,061 ft (3,067 m) Red Lake Peak 10,061 ft (3,067 m) Relay Peak 10,324 ft (3,147 m) Mount Houghton 10,483 ft (3,195 m) Pyramid Peak 9983 ft. Mount Tallac is a Mountain peak southwest of Lake Tahoe, in El Dorado County California, United States. Mount Pluto is an Extinct volcano in the Granite Chief Range near Lake Tahoe, California. Freel Peak is a Mountain located in the Carson Range near Lake Tahoe in California. Maggie's Peak is a mountain in the Sierra Nevada mountain range to the west of Lake Tahoe. Jobs Peak is in Alpine County California. It is the most prominent peak visible from Snow Valley Peak 9,214 ft (2,808 m)

See also

• Emerald Bay State Park
• Mono Lake
• Clear Lake
• Pyramid Lake
• Washoe Lake
• Fallen Leaf Lake, California
• Lake Tahoe-Nevada State Park

References

Further reading

External links

• Lake Tahoe Data Clearinghouse - USGS/Western Geographic Science Center
• Tahoe Regional Planning Agency
• Tahoe Environmental Research Center - UC Davis research & outreach
• Lake Tahoe REMOTE Meteorological Data Sites
• Lake Tahoe Watershed- California Rivers Assessment database
• Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit - USDA Forest Service
• League to Save Lake Tahoe -environmental watchdog organization
• Tahoe-Baikal Institute -international environmental organization
• USGS facts about Lake Tahoe - PD source
• Lake Tahoe travel guide from Wikitravel
• Lake Tahoe Yellow Pages
• USGS GNIS: Lake Tahoe

Wikitravel is a Web -based project "to create a free, complete up-to-date and reliable worldwide travel guide.

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