Lake Tahoe’s clarity declined more than 3 feet between 2022 and 2023, according to a report released today by the U.C. Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center, which has measured the lake’s clarity since 1968.
Overall clarity dropped from 71.9 feet in 2022 to 68.2 feet in 2023. The lake’s clarity — which has decreased substantially over the past few decades — changes throughout the seasons. During the past few years, it has declined in summer and improved in winter.
Summer clarity was the fifth murkiest on record, with a visibility of 53.5 feet, compared to 68.9 feet in 2022.
Winter’s visibility was 91.8 feet, the 10th best on record.
California and Nevada, along with more than 80 public and private organizations, are working to restore the lake’s overall clarity to 97.4 feet.