On Friday, Sept. 5, 2025, the Tahoe Fund and Restoring the Lake Depths Foundation will livestream an ROV’s journey to the bottom of Lake Tahoe, giving everyone the opportunity to watch in real time as it reaches a depth of 1,570 feet.
“Few people have had the opportunity to explore what’s under the surface of Lake Tahoe, the second deepest lake in the U.S.,” said Amy Berry, Tahoe Fund CEO. “We partnered with Restoring the Lake Depths Foundation and Martis Camp Foundation to fund a custom ROV capable of live streaming a journey to the bottom, giving people the chance to experience Lake Tahoe in a whole new way.”
Via a livestream that will be broadcast on the Tahoe Fund’s website, follow along as “Deep Emerald,” a custom ROV built by Restoring the Lake Depths, ventures to the bottom of Lake Tahoe. While the ROV descends, Tim Crandle, president of SeaView Systems will share more about the cutting-edge technology that made this journey possible and Sudeep Chandra, foundation professor of limnology at the University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe and the Tahoe Institute for Global Sustainability will unpack the secrets of why Tahoe’s famed waters are so clear.
Featuring open-source electronics from Blue Robotics and Mission Robotics software, Deep Emerald was designed for underwater exploration. It is equipped with an 8-thruster system for maneuverability, four LED lights and a 4K Ultra HD camera with low-light sensitivity for high-resolution imaging. In addition to deep water exploration, Deep Emerald has been utilized to remove litter from the lake and help identify aquatic invasive species.
“Deep Emerald is our flagship ROV, funded by Tahoe Fund and the Martis Camp Foundation and built for advanced underwater exploration,” said Lindsay Kopf, founder and executive director of Restoring the Lake Depths Foundation. “Its 600m fiber optic tether allows for deep-water exploration, making it a rare ROV capable of reaching the depths of Lake Tahoe’s deepest points.”
While Deep Emerald leads the way with its exceptional abilities, Restoring the Lake Depths Foundation’s full fleet of four ROVs, powered by technology from Blue Robotics and Mission Robotics, works in concert to achieve comprehensive lake monitoring and restoration. Each ROV is equipped with advanced cameras, sensors, and deep-water tools, enabling precise data collection, sample retrieval, and debris removal.
Watch the livestream at www.tahoefund.org/deepdive starting at 9:30 a.m. PT on Friday, Sept. 5, 2025.
