Brown, J. (2022, August 3). Algae blooms, warming waters cause biggest changes to Tahoe in 50 years, report says. SF Gate. Retrieved August 11, 2022, from https://www.sfgate.com/renotahoe/article/algae-blooms-threaten-lake-tahoe-17345685.php
Lake Tahoe’s algae growth is increasing. The article shares this in a recent report. Climate change and microscopic shifts, like the increase in algal growth, as well as the wildfire smoke impact are three topics of focus and are all reasons for the changes the lake is experiencing. Climate change is warming up the lake, the weather is hotter than it has ever been. With less rain and snow the lake water decreases in volume. This is concerning. Algae blooms are more present now in Lake Tahoe because of climate change.
This article really relates to environmental science because one of the main sources of this issue is climate change. As temperatures rise the problem grows. This article was surprising to me because I have always viewed Lake Tahoe as a place with “crystal clear” water. Now this reputation seems to be changing as algae blooms become more common in Lake Tahoe as well as other bodies of water all over the US. Along with algae blooms increasing, researchers are also now noticing less zooplankton and Mysis shrimp in Lake tahoe. The researchers are trying to learn more about if these things are connected to the algae bloom growth given they are happening all in one year. Scientists are studying all of these impactful environmental science issues and how humans are at the center of the cause.
This is especially frightening to me because we spend the whole summer in Tahoe every year. It is hard and saddening to imagine a future where Tahoe, known for its crystal clear waters, is green and murkly with dead algae and lake-life. I wonder what is causing the algae to bloom? I know that it is usually caused by fertilizer runoff from agriuculture but Tahoe is located in the mountains, it’s terrain seems unideal for farmland.
This article is very interesting and relevant to what is going on in the world. I always picture lake tahoe as a very pretty and blue lake, so to hear that the levels of algae have been increasing a lot is disturbing. This goes to show that climate change is very real. What are we going to do to stop algae growth in lake tahoe?
Its too bad that algae blooms are starting to happen in Lake Tahoe. Do you think these algae blooms will impact other aspects of the ecosystem there>