What runs deeper than Lake Tahoe? Our desire to preserve it.
Father’s Day is upon us. So what’s a better present to give Dad than the gift of an inscribed bear, trout, or his name on the donor wall of the East Shore Trail? It’s not too late to order yours. A new donor wall and bear plaques are being put in at Hidden Beach, along with more trout along the scenic bridge. Click here or on the picture below to find out more!
Ever noticed lakes throughout the Tahoe area are similar looking? Thousands of years ago, the world went through glacial periods in which ice plowed down from the mountain tops above and created many of the lakes we love today.
Here is some more information on the formation of three bodies of water formed by glaciers.
Fallen Leaf Lake is the product of not one, but two glaciers colliding and traveling north down the Glen Alpine Valley and finally coming to a stop before reaching Lake Tahoe. On the northeastern side of the lake a terminal moraine can be seen. Moraines are large deposits of rocks and debris carried down by the glacier. In this case, the moraine signifies the end of the glacier, acting as a natural dam.[1][5]
Emerald Bay was formed during the last glacial episode which started about 110,000 years ago and ended about 15,000 years ago.[2] The four-mile-long glacier that contributed to the Emerald Bay formation started on the north slopes of Dicks peak and pushed its way down Eagle Creek moving towards the lake until the two met.[2] When the glacier entered the lake it began to melt, leaving the debris along the lake’s shore creating lateral moraines on the north and south sides and leaving a recessional moraine at the mouth of the bay.
Thousands of years ago, a large glacier flowed down the Eastern Slope of Donner Pass carving a path along a rock fault.[3] As the glacier eventually retreated, it left two lateral moraines on the sides and a terminal moraine of large rocks, gravel and loose soil that blocked the creek resulting in the formation of Donner Lake.[4] For this reason, Donner lake is classified as a moraine-dammed lake. These long, finger-shaped lakes are also referred to as ribbon lakes, which you can see clearly from the pictures of Donner and Fallen Leaf Lake.
Sources:
[1]: “National Snow and Ice Data Center.” All About Glaciers | National Snow and Ice Data Center, 16 Mar. 2020, nsidc.org/cryosphere/glaciers/.
[2]: Fuller, M, et al. “Emerald Bay State Park: National Natural Landmark 1969.” California Parks, California Geological Survey, Department of Conservation, 2015, www.parks.ca.gov/pages/734/files/GeoGem%20Note%2034%20Emerald%20Bay%20State%20Park.pdf.
[3]: “Docent Manual Chapter 5 – AdditionalResources .” Tahoe UC Davis, UC Davis, 2016, tahoe.ucdavis.edu/sites/g/files/dgvnsk4286/files/inline-files/Docent%20Manual%20Chapter%205%20-%20AdditionalResources.pdf.
[4]: “History & Natural History – Donner Memorial State Park.” Sierra State Parks Foundation, sierrastateparks.org/donner-memorial-state-park/history-natural-history/.
[5]: Fallen Leaf Lake
LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. (June 9, 2020) – The Tahoe Network of Fire Adapted Communities (Tahoe Network), with generous support from the Tahoe Fund, is hosting a free virtual screening of the award-winning documentary Wilder than Wild: Fire, Forests, and the Future through the Tahoe Art Haus & Cinema from June 5th – June 11th, 2020.
Wilder than Wild is a one-hour documentary that reveals how fire suppression and climate change have exposed Western landscapes to large, high-intensity wildfires. The film goes on to explore strategies that are being developed to help mitigate the impact of these fires.
The screening at Tahoe Art Haus & Cinema is part of a larger effort to engage communities in conversations about the future of wildfire. An online Q&A panel featuring both a local fire district representative and forest management expert will follow the screening on June 11th at 5pm.
The Tahoe Network recognizes the importance of building community awareness about mitigation strategies in this new age of wildfire and strives to prepare people and property for wildfire by coordinating efforts on a neighborhood scale.
“Unfortunately, living in a forest like we do in Tahoe means living with the threat of catastrophic wildfire,” said Tahoe Fund CEO Amy Berry. “We are so excited to make this terrific film available for everyone to watch for free to learn more about the history of wildfire. It is definitely worth an hour of your time.”
Screening Date: June 5th – June 11th 2020
Screening Location: Online through Tahoe Art Haus & Cinema
Register for the Q&A panel here.
This event is open to the public and is free thanks to sponsorship from the Tahoe Fund.
Lake Tahoe Fun Fact: 750,000
As a result of forest treatments to help reduce the threat of catastrophic wildfire, there are now more than 750,000 burn piles in the Tahoe Basin waiting to be burned or transported to a mill or biomass facility. With wildfire intensity growing every year, it is important to understand wildfire and how you can be prepared. The Tahoe Fund has partnered with the Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team to bring you a free virtual screening of the film “Wilder Than Wild: Fire, Forests, and the Future” from June 5th through June 11th. Join us for a Q&A session with the director and members of our fire districts at 5pm on June 11th.
Click on the link to access the movie through Tahoe ArtHaus: http://ow.ly/9nC250zYbq3
It’s warming up! Today’s forecasted high air temperature is 82 degrees. This is only 2 degrees below the previous record of 84 degrees set on May 28, 2003. This data comes from the South Lake Tahoe airport, which has been recording data as an official climate station dating back to May 1,1968. It snowed over a foot this same week last year.
