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How was Lake Tahoe formed? BY E L I S E M AT E R A
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E D U C AT I O N P R O G R A M S AS S O C I AT E , U C DAV I S TA H O E E N V I R O N M E N TA L R E S E A R C H C E N T E R
18,215 lbs. of trash pulled from Tahoe
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Courtesy Clean Up the Lake
ake Tahoe was formed through a series of geological processes over the past 2 to 3 million years. The three main processes integral to Tahoe’s formation are faulting and earthquakes, volcanic activity and glaciation. Lake Tahoe sits between two mountain ranges, the Sierra Nevada to the west and the Carson Range (or Pine Nut Mountains to the Wašiw peoples native to the area) to the east. These mountain ranges form a deep crevice between them and it is constantly getting deeper through a process called normal faulting, in which seismic activity along the three fault lines that run through the lake cause the crust to shift downward.
About 12,000 to 21,000 years ago, there was an earthquake so big, it
Clean Up the Lake has covered more than 43.5 miles of shoreline since the clean-up effort began to remove garbage from Lake Tahoe on May 14 removing 18,215 pounds of trash, according to a press release from the nonprofit.
dislodged some of the land mass from the West Shore, creating what is now McKinney Bay.
Clean Up the Lake will collaborate with scientific institutions and environmental consultants to study the submerged litter to develop a better understanding of its impact on Lake Tahoe. Divers will continue the clean-up throughout the winter as conditions allow, and expect to complete the effort in early 2022, weather permitting. | tahoefund.org, cleanupthelake.org
Lake Tahoe is currently 1,644 feet deep at its deepest point and the fault lines continue to inch the lake deeper with every rumble and shake. These earthquakes caused by faulting created the mountains on either side and give Lake Tahoe its depth and its west and east barriers. Volcanos to the northwest plugged the basin at the top and glaciers to the south sculpted the bottom, creating a shape that could hold water like a basin. Over time, Lake Tahoe filled with water from rain, snow and melting glaciers. Today, there are 63 streams that flow into Lake Tahoe and only one that flows out, the Lower Truckee River, which is dammed to hold back the top 6.1 feet as a reservoir for downstream users.
Help keep bears out of trash The BEAR League has launched an educational campaign to remind residents and visitors at Lake Tahoe to lock up their trash and don’t feed the bears by offering free magnetic signs for use on bear trash enclosures, vehicles and refrigerators to remind everyone to secure trash and to not feed
Watch UC TERC’s video on how Lake Tahoe was formed
at TheTahoeWeekly.com
About 12,000 to 21,000 years ago, there was an earthquake so big, it dislodged some of the land mass from the West Shore, creating what is now McKinney Bay. The enormous boulders that slid from the shore can still be seen today where they settled on the bottom of the lake. The force of this rockslide shifted the water in Lake Tahoe dramatically, creating an initial tsunami and subsequent seiche waves that destroyed everything near the edge of the lake. 6
James Howle, U.S. Geological Survey | Courtesy UC Davis TERC
Although rare, a big enough earthquake could cause a similar event today. The small earthquakes we have felt over the past few months do not have nearly the magnitude required to create a landslide or tsunami. Since earthquakes are caused by extreme buildups of pressure, perhaps it is a good thing that the energy is being released a
little at a time, rather than all at once. UC Davis TERC runs Tahoe Science Center on the campus of Sierra Nevada University in Incline Village, Nev. Those interested in learning more about Lake Tahoe and how it was formed can make reservations to visit the center for a onehour tour. | tahoe.ucdavis.edu
The group along with Sustain Tahoe, the Conservation Society of California and an anonymous foundation has produced 25,000 magnets and will provide them for free everyone. The magnets are available at local businesses. Visit savebears.org for locations.
