Low Snow, Temperature Rise Posing Problems For Lake Tahoe

LAKE TAHOE (CBS13) - Lake Tahoe experienced a year like no other in 2015 and the news is not good.

According to a study done by UC Davis researchers, this past winter brought a record-breaking low snowfall and high temperatures. This year is a different story. The summer season in south Lake Tahoe is in full swing, rentals are up, and Neil Bernardo at Tahoe Kayaking says it's certainly a different wave of business than last year.

"If we got the same year as 2015, it would be horrible. The lake would probably be 10 feet lower than it is now," said Bernardo.

But even still, the effects of the last few years have added to low water levels this year.

"We have not been able to launch from our normal spot on the beach because it's too shallow, so we've had to use the pier out there," he said.

So what happened?

Continued warm and dry conditions contributed to several record-breaking measurements.

While the precipitation was near average, only 6.5 percent of it fell as snow in 2015, and that's the lowest ever recorded -- not to mention UC Davis experts say the lake's average temperature is rising at an alarming rate on the surface, but remaining cold underneath.

But why is that important?

"So when the winds blow the lake moves around, but it doesn't mix and mixing is incredibly important because it transports oxygen to the bottom of the lake," said Geoffrey Schladow with UC Davis.

He has been studying the climate in Lake Tahoe for ten years. He says oxygen is vital to the ecology of the lake.

"It's not going to change dramatically in two or three or four years. What we have is time right now. Time to understand what's happening and time to think about the appropriate solution," he added.

Researchers hope the data will help influence decisions about the ecosystem and management of the Lake Tahoe basin.