June 2025 Conservancy Newsletter
Summer is in full swing at Lake Tahoe with our annual influx of summer visitors, many of whom are drawn to the Lake Tahoe Basin to get away from hotter temperatures back home. The California Tahoe Conservancy welcomes everyone who visits the region to enjoy the abundant outdoor recreation opportunities on our public lands.
Jason Vasques, Executive Director
California Tahoe Conservancy
Managing Public Recreation Sites for Tahoe’s Busiest Summer Weekend
The California Tahoe Conservancy, Tahoe Resource Conservation District, and California State Parks are coordinating on plans to manage visitor impacts during the busy July Fourth holiday weekend. Conservancy staff will close the vehicle gates at Van Sickle Bi-State Park early on July 4 (park grounds remain open to visitors) and will partner with State Parks to have increased staff support on the Conservancy’s six north shore beaches.
12th Annual Keep Tahoe Red, White, and Blue Beach Cleanup – July 5, 2025
After the July Fourth celebrations, Lake Tahoe beaches and surrounding areas can become covered with trash, endangering wildlife and water quality. More than ever, land managers are working together with private partners to avoid the litter problems of past years. You can be part of the solution to help address trash that still gets left behind. Each year on July 5, organized by the League to Save Lake Tahoe, Tahoe residents and visitors turn out for the largest cleanup of the year to remove litter from Lake Tahoe’s shores. Help Keep Tahoe Blue by volunteering at a beach cleanup site around the Lake.
Find a Public Beach at Lake Tahoe
As we welcome you to enjoy your public lands at Tahoe, we have tools to help you make the most out of your visit. Trying to find a dog-friendly beach? Or maybe a beach with picnic facilities, or kayak rentals? The Tahoe Fund and the Conservancy, in partnership with the agencies that manage Lake Tahoe’s public beaches, maintain the website TahoePublicBeaches.org to help improve the recreation experience for residents and visitors.
Lake Tahoe Clarity Report: Trend Stable, Not Improving
Lake Tahoe’s long-term clarity record is not trending worse, nor is it improving, according to the 2024 annual clarity report from the University of California, Davis’ Tahoe Environmental Research Center (TERC). The report, released earlier this month, documents steep declines in clarity through the 1990s before leveling off in recent years. In 2024, annual average clarity for Lake Tahoe was 62.3 feet. That is down from last year’s average of 68.2 feet, but it is not statistically worse, the report notes. The number is a measure of the depth at which a white disk remains visible underwater.
“We should embrace the improvements we have seen since the 1990s,” said Stephanie Hampton, director of TERC and a UC Davis professor in the Department of Environmental Science and Policy. “It’s not, at this point, noticeably worse. But it’s not getting better, and we need to find out why.”
Read more about the latest clarity report.
Photo by Brandon Berry, UC Davis TERC
Update on Upper Truckee Marsh South Project Outreach
In April, the Conservancy began public outreach to seek ideas for restoration and public access improvements at the south end of the Upper Truckee Marsh, including the site of the former Motel 6. Through an online survey, tabling at community events, site walks on the Upper Truckee Marsh South property, and community meetings in English and Spanish, we heard from hundreds of Lake Tahoe Basin residents and visitors. Our team is analyzing the public input we collected from you, and we expect to be back later this year to share recommendations and gather your feedback. While our online survey has closed, we continue to welcome your input. Please email us at info@tahoe.ca.gov to share any ideas and priorities for this environmentally sensitive land.
Partner Spotlight: Clean Tahoe Program
The Conservancy appreciates the work by our partners at the Clean Tahoe Program. The Clean Tahoe Program is a community based non-profit organization dedicated to improving the visual environment of the Lake Tahoe Basin through proper litter and trash management and public education. Clean Tahoe provides multiple services on Conservancy properties, including managing waste receptacles at high-use Conservancy recreation sites and helping to remove trash and debris from the Conservancy’s open space lots. Conservancy staff is grateful to the Clean Tahoe Program, not only for its help on Conservancy lands, but for the services they provide to the entire community.
Improvements Coming to the Parking Area at Conservancy’s Elks Club Property
In July, the Conservancy will begin work on a project to improve water quality and accessibility at the Conservancy’s Elks Club property. In reconstructing the aging parking lot, the Conservancy will install Best Management Practices (BMPs) to capture storm water runoff, which can carry sediments and other pollutants that harm water quality. The new parking lot will feature improved accessible connections to existing trails. Located along the Upper Truckee River near U.S. Highway 50 in El Dorado County, this property is a popular recreation hub for people accessing the river and nearby trail networks. These improvements build on significant recent work by El Dorado County on the same property that has already improved water quality, habitat, and public access.
The Conservancy timed construction to begin after the busy spring paddling season. The parking lot will be closed for construction from July 7 through September 26, 2025. Trail access to the river and forest will be maintained throughout construction with designated pathways around construction areas. For any questions or concerns, contact the Conservancy by calling (530) 542-5580 or sending an email to info@tahoe.ca.gov.
Fire and Police Departments Train at Former Motel Buildings on Conservancy Land
Personnel from South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue, Lake Valley Fire Protection District, Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District, CAL FIRE, and South Lake Tahoe Police Department are training for a variety of emergency rescue operations at the Conservancy’s Upper Truckee Marsh South property (site of the former Motel 6) in South Lake Tahoe. Training activities will continue periodically, taking place before the Conservancy demolishes the former motel and restaurant buildings later this year to make way for future restoration and public access improvements.
Conservancy Staff Updates
New Employees
Jack Fleming
Legal Intern
Jack Fleming joined the Conservancy’s legal team as a seasonal intern in May. Jack’s primary work consists of researching and writing memos on legal issues related to Conservancy projects around the Basin. Jack is a former Tahoe corpsmember with the California Conservation Corps, where he worked on a CAL FIRE-led wildland fire hand crew. Jack is studying law at the University of Southern California, and intends to practice environmental law.
Upcoming California Tahoe Conservancy Board Meetings
The Board will meet on September 18, 2025. An agenda will be available on the Conservancy website ten days prior to the meeting.
Lake Tahoe in the News
Program authorization budget, forestry reports, and recreational access: California Tahoe Conservancy updates – Sierra Sun, June 16, 2025
Lake Tahoe clarity dips in 2024 but isn’t ‘statistically worse’ – Sacramento Bee, June 17, 2025
California Tahoe Conservancy parcel surveys to take place this summer – Tahoe Daily Tribune, June 17, 2025
Senate’s public land sale provision significantly altered following public outcry – Tahoe Daily Tribune, June 24, 2025
Hazardous fuels treatments begin near South Tahoe High School – South Tahoe Now, June 25, 2025
Show Your Love for Tahoe While Protecting It
When you order a California Lake Tahoe license plate, you help build biking and hiking trails, restore fish and wildlife habitat, and protect Lake Tahoe’s famous beaches and blue waters. 96 percent of all funds from Tahoe plate sales come back to Lake Tahoe.
Show Your Love for Tahoe While Protecting It
When you order a California Lake Tahoe license plate, you help build biking and hiking trails, restore fish and wildlife habitat, and protect Lake Tahoe’s famous beaches and blue waters. 96 percent of all funds from Tahoe plate sales come back to Lake Tahoe.