Researchers: Rain, Lack Of Snow Caused Murkier Lake Tahoe

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) -- Researchers say the waters of Lake Tahoe grew murkier in 2015, in part because of a lack of mountain snow.

The University of California, Davis, researchers say warmer waters flowing into the lake on the Nevada-California border made it less transparent, in part because substantially more rain than snow fell last year.

Water clarity is measured by lowering a white plate into the water to test how far it's visible from the surface. Scientists say Tahoe's decline appears to be a normal fluctuation rather than a long-term trend.

The numbers aren't an immediate cause for concern. Researchers say Tahoe's water clarity is still significantly better than its low point in 1997.

UC Davis