Lake Tahoe reaches critically low threshold for water levels
In South Lake Tahoe, where the beaches are shallow, the water has receded so far from the shore that it’s as if the tide has gone out, revealing a lake bottom oozing with slimy, green algae. Trash that had sunk in Tahoe’s waters is now exposed to the sunlight: a cigarette lighter, a seat cushion, a champagne bottle. It is a dystopian version of the postcard image of Lake Tahoe. But the worst part is the smell. The air hangs with the scent of sewage or rotting seaweed. The stink comes from the algae that has been left behind by the retreating waters. It’s now rotting on the beach.