CalMatters is your nonprofit and nonpartisan newsroom dedicated to explaining how state government impacts our lives.

Series

Lake Tahoe: A tarnished jewel

Illustration by Gabriel Hongsdusit, CalMatters

Lake Tahoe is an innocent victim — but there isn’t just a single villain. This alpine treasure a mile-high in the Sierra Nevada is victimized by all the problems that humans inflict on it. In this two-part series, CalMatters reveals how the billions of dollars spent on improving the health of the Tahoe region have not resolved the lake’s problems, and how regional planners have recently shifted much of their focus to promoting tourism and recreation projects. The Tahoe region, encircled by dense forests, also is one of California’s riskiest places for potentially deadly out-of-control wildfires. CalMatters learned that thousands of people could be trapped because of inadequate evacuation routes — yet developers continue to build resorts and housing in high-risk areas.

Julie Cart reported and wrote the two articles, Natasha Uzcátegui-Liggett conducted the funding analysis and Miguel Gutierrez Jr. shot the photographs. Illustrations were by Joel Eastwood and Gabriel Hongsdusit. The map was by Natasha and Jeremia Kimelman. The project was edited by Deputy Editor Marla Cone.

Table of Contents

A bird's eye view of a person snorkeling on the surface of a lake while holding an ipad on their right hand. Rocks in various sizes can be seen through the light blue and clear water.

Part 1

The high cost of fixing Lake Tahoe: Famed alpine lake still murky after decades of efforts

An aerial view shows a winding mountain road lined with vehicles, stretching through a landscape of burned and partially regrown forest. Scattered evergreen trees stand among barren, charred trunks, remnants of a past wildfire. A smaller dirt road branches off from the main highway, curving through the rugged terrain. The contrast between the burned trees and areas of surviving greenery highlights the ongoing recovery of the landscape.

Part 2

‘It will not be survivable’: Lake Tahoe region could be a deathtrap during major wildfires

Part 3

‘Not improving’: Lake Tahoe had one of its murkiest years on record