Lake Tahoe Full For First Time in 5 Years

Lake Tahoe is completely full for the first time in five years, according to U.S. officials.

The Context

Lake Tahoe, a freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada mountains between California and Nevada, is the sixth largest lake in the U.S., the largest alpine lake in North America and the second deepest lake in the U.S. after Crater Lake in Oregon.

What We Know

A U.S. Geological Survey gauge in the lake recently recorded a water level reading of 6,228.9 feet. The maximum is 6,229 feet.

It means it is now full for the first time since 2019, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Nevada Water Outlook Supply Report, which was also released by the department, predicted on May 1 that the lake would fill.

The report said that snowmelt would be sufficient to fill the lake this spring.

The report added that the dam at Lake Tahoe’s outlet provides up to six feet of storage, totaling 744,500 acre-feet. Once full, it said, the stored water in Lake Tahoe typically provides sufficient supply to meet demand for three years even if snowpacks are below normal.

Lake Tahoe has 63 tributaries—rivers and streams that flow into a large river or lake—and these have pumped snowmelt into it, both lowering the temperature of the lake while also filling it up.

There has been more snowfall in recent years. The report said that snowpacks across the state peaked above normal for the second winter in a row.

Cold water offers many benefits to the lake and its ecosystem. Lake Tahoe is home to many different species, including black bears and pikas, as well as a number of fish and birds. The organization Keep Tahoe Blue exists to protect the lake and species surrounding it. It said that the lake filling up was not entirely good news.

“With higher water comes smaller, more crowded beaches,” Laura Patten, natural resource director for the League to Save Lake Tahoe, also known as Keep Tahoe Blue, told Newsweek. “That means it’s more important than ever to be a good steward of the lake, clean up after ourselves, and Keep Tahoe Blue together.”

What’s Next

Lake Tahoe is a big tourist attraction in both California and Nevada and tourists visit for winter sports, summer outdoor recreation and the scenery, making a substantial contribution to the local economy. The Nevada side of the lake also plays host to many lakeside casino resorts, which are also popular among tourists.

However, more crowded beaches caused by the higher water levels may deter some tourists from traveling.