The history of Lake Tahoe begins with the Washoe Indians who resided on its shores for thousands of years, with minimal impact on the landscape. The relatively brief American history at Lake Tahoe began in the mid-nineteenth century. Though awestruck by its beauty, the new arrivals were also intent on harvesting its abundant resources. In a mere half century, the basin’s forests and fisheries were destroyed, the lake’s pristine clarity dramatically reduced. Left alone, nature healed itself, and by the 1960s mature forests once again surrounded the lake and its water clarity improved, with visibility more than one hundred feet deep. However, Tahoe’s wonders brought a new kind of threat: millions of annual visitors and incessant development, including ski resorts and casinos. Saving Lake Tahoe looks at the interaction through the years between human activities and Tahoe’s natural ecosystems. It is a dramatic story of ecological disasters and near misses, political successes and failures. Utilizing primary sources and interviews with key figures, Makley provides a meticulously researched account of the battles surrounding the management of the Tahoe basin. Makley takes the story up to the present, describing the formation and evolution of a new type of governing body, the bistate Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, and groundbreaking efforts to utilize science in establishing policy. He depicts the passionate fights between those who seek to preserve the environment and advocates of individual property rights. Although Tahoe remains unique in its splendor, readers will understand why, with continued pressure for development, reversing environmental deterioration and improving the lake water’s clarity remain elusive goals.

The water is so clear and filled with so much color, it's like splashing liquid glass. Lake Tahoe is legendary for its crystal-clear turquoise waters. Even Mark Twain commented on its "dazzling" and "brilliant" clarity. This is the first book of underwater photography from America's most famous lake, which stretches over 191 square miles on the California-Nevada state line. The camera lens captures bizarre and fluid shapes that form faster than the eye can see or the mind can comprehend. More than 180 images show Tahoe's breathtaking submarine scenery, from its teal shallows, rounded boulders, and swirling compositions to the surreal still lifes in its clear, quiet depths. For everyone who loves Lake Tahoe, the images are a lasting reminder of its singular beauty--and a call to help preserve its health.

Field guide to plants and animals

Thomas Bachand's stunning photographs of Lake Tahoe capture the sublime beauty of this beloved natural wonder while also illustrating its fragility. Bachand has been making photographs of the lake and its environs for more than ten years, creating images that possess a timeless vocabulary of water, rock, and sky. Bachaund's images also depict the transition that the lake and its surrounding are undergoing due to tourism and development. These two sides of Bachand's work - presented here for the first time - reflect the delicate balance that exists between conservation and growth in the region. An introduction by Dr. Charles R. Goldman, founder and director of the Tahoe Research Group at UC Davis, addresses how factors as diverse as development and global climate change threaten Lake Tahoe's legendary clear blue waters. In addition, excerpts from Mark Twain's seminal volume Roughing It remind us of the lake's awe-inspiring grandeur as it appeared more than a century ago. Lake Tahoe: A Fragile Beauty celebrates the natural splendor of a region that is also a key arena for many of the salient environmental issues facing our time. Bachand's exploration of Tahoe's singular loveliness, rich history, and universal challenges conveys the area's extraordinary character, and our need to understand and care for this unique jewel. -- from dust jacket.

First sighted by John C. Fremont and Charles Preuss in 1844, the "Lake of the Sky" beckons to pioneers and adventurers today as it has through history. Author Mark Twain, popular lecturer George Wharton James, industrialist Duane Bliss, and film star Elizabeth Taylor all found inspiration in its secluded sylvan beaches. Washoe tribal members held Dá'o' a ga ("Edge of the Lake") as their paradise until lumber demands for the Comstock Lode all but stripped the dense forests. Gradually, lakefront property became private retreats and hostelries catering to tourists happily arriving from around the world for winter skiing, summer boating, and holidays.