Lake Tahoe, situated in the Sierra Nevada mountains, is a large freshwater lake that sits on the border of California and Nevada. At an elevation of 6,225 feet, it is recognized as North America's largest alpine lake. Its depth of 1,645 feet makes it the second deepest lake in the United States. Spanning over 122,160,280 acre-feet, Lake Tahoe's impressive volume is only surpassed by the five Great Lakes.
1900: Niagara Scrapped
The steamboat Niagara was scrapped in Tahoe City in 1900 as the lumber industry declined, and automobile travel became more prevalent.
1910: Hayford Ellipsoid Potentially Used for Survey
The Hayford ellipsoid of 1910 may have been used by the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey to determine the California-Nevada boundary.
1912: Unsuccessful National Park Designation Attempt
Congressmen unsuccessfully attempted to designate the Lake Tahoe basin as a national park during the 1912 Congressional session.
1913: Unsuccessful National Park Designation Attempt
Congressmen unsuccessfully attempted to designate the Lake Tahoe basin as a national park during the 1913 Congressional session.
1913: Lake Tahoe Dam Constructed
The Lake Tahoe Dam was constructed in 1913 at the outlet of the Truckee River in Tahoe City to regulate the lake's water level for the Truckee-Carson Irrigation District.
1918: Unsuccessful National Park Designation Attempt
Congressmen unsuccessfully attempted to designate the Lake Tahoe basin as a national park during the 1918 Congressional session.
1926: Cal-Neva Lodge Opens
Robert Sherman built the first casino at Lake Tahoe, the Cal-Neva Lodge, in Crystal Bay in 1926.
1929: Cal-Neva Lodge Changes Hands
The Cal-Neva Lodge was sold to Bill Graham and Jim McKay in 1929.
1929: Dolby Estate Built
The Dolby Estate, which would later be used as a filming location for movies like "Last Weekend" and "A Place in the Sun," was built in 1929.
1931: Tunnel Blasted Through Cave Rock
Despite significant protests from the Washoe tribe, a tunnel was blasted through Cave Rock in 1931 for the construction of Highway 50.
1931: Nevada Legalizes Gambling
Nevada legalized gambling in 1931, though casinos had already existed at Lake Tahoe for years.
1931: Stateline Country Club Established
The Stateline Country Club, which Bill Harrah would later purchase to build Harrah's Tahoe, was established in 1931.
1934: Beaver Reintroduction Begins
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Forest Service began reintroducing North American beavers to the Tahoe Basin in 1934.
1934: End of Steamboat Mail Delivery
The mail contract for Lake Tahoe was awarded to the motorboat Marian B in 1934, marking the end of steamboat mail delivery on the lake.
1935: Emerald (II) Leaves Lake Tahoe
The 60-foot steamboat Emerald (II) was removed from Lake Tahoe in 1935 and repurposed as a fishing boat in San Diego.
1937: Cal-Neva Lodge Fire
The Cal-Neva Lodge, a prominent casino at Lake Tahoe, was rebuilt after a fire in 1937.
1937: Crystal Bay Club Opens
The Crystal Bay Club, originally named the Ta-Neva-Ho, was established in 1937.
May 17, 1941: Loss of the Marian B
The Marian B, a 42-foot motorboat responsible for mail delivery on Lake Tahoe, sank on May 17, 1941, during a storm while the owner and mail clerk were attempting to deliver mail. This event marked the end of mail delivery on the lake.
1942: Governor Stanford's Boiler Used for Heating
The Governor Stanford, another steamboat, was beached at Glenbrook, and its boiler was used to heat cottages at Glenbrook Inn and Ranch until 1942.
1944: Introduction of Non-native Salmon
Non-native salmon were introduced to Lake Tahoe from the North Pacific in 1944.
1945: Official Name Change to Lake Tahoe
The California State Legislature officially changed the name of the lake from "Lake Bigler" to "Lake Tahoe" in 1945, reflecting the popular use of "Tahoe" which had grown by the end of the 19th century.
1949: Beaver Reintroduction Concludes
The reintroduction of North American beavers to the Tahoe Basin by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Forest Service concluded in 1949.
1955: First Man Swims Length of Lake Tahoe
Fred Rogers became the first person to swim the length of Lake Tahoe in 1955.
1957: Founding of the League to Save Lake Tahoe
The League to Save Lake Tahoe (Keep Tahoe Blue) was established in 1957 in response to a proposal for a four-lane highway around the lake.
1962: First Woman Swims Length of Lake Tahoe
Erline Christopherson became the first woman to swim the length of Lake Tahoe in 1962.
1963: Introduction of Opossum Shrimp
Opossum shrimp (Mysis diluviana) were introduced to Lake Tahoe between 1963 and 1965 to supplement the food supply for the introduced Kokanee salmon.
1969: Cal-Neva Lodge Expansion
The Cal-Neva Lodge underwent a significant expansion in 1969 with the addition of a high-rise hotel.
1969: Start of Temperature Recording and Warming Trend
Recording of Lake Tahoe's temperature began in 1969. Since then, the lake has shown a warming trend, with an average increase of 0.027 degrees Fahrenheit (0.015 degrees Celsius) per year between 1969 and 2002.
1969: Creation of Tahoe Regional Planning Agency
In 1969, the U.S. Congress and the California and Nevada legislatures formed the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) to address environmental concerns and regulate land use in the basin.
1970: Lake Tahoe Mixing Patterns
Since 1970, Lake Tahoe has experienced deep mixing to a depth of at least 1,300 feet (400 meters) six to seven times.
1971: Decline of Cladoceran Populations
By 1971, the opossum shrimp had significantly reduced the populations of cladocerans, a type of zooplankton, in Lake Tahoe.
December 9, 1972: Record Low Temperature
On December 9, 1972, the lowest temperature ever recorded at Lake Tahoe Airport was reached, plummeting to -16 °F (-27 °C).
1974: "The Godfather Part II" Filmed at Lake Tahoe
The 1974 film "The Godfather Part II" used the Fleur de Lac estate on the western shore of Lake Tahoe as the location for several iconic scenes.
1980: Slowing Development and Population Growth
By 1980, the permanent resident population had increased to over 50,000, and the summer population reached around 90,000. However, development slowed down in the 1980s due to land-use regulations.
1980: Supreme Court Hears Boundary Dispute
In 1980, the Supreme Court heard arguments regarding the disputed boundary between California and Nevada, invoking the doctrine of acquiescence.
1980: Establishment of Lake Tahoe Interagency Monitoring Program
The Lake Tahoe Interagency Monitoring Program (LTIMP) was initiated in 1980 to monitor streamflow and water quality in the Lake Tahoe Basin.
1980: Establishment of Tahoe Transportation District
The Tahoe Transportation District (TTD) was established in 1980 to improve transportation infrastructure and promote environmental protection in the Lake Tahoe Basin.
1987: Beaver Population Density Study
A 1987 study found that the beaver population in the upper and lower Truckee River had reached a density of 0.72 colonies (3.5 beavers) per kilometer. This population descended from no more than nine individuals reintroduced between 1934 and 1949.
July 22, 1988: Record High Temperature
The highest temperature ever recorded at Lake Tahoe Airport, reaching 99 °F (37 °C), occurred on July 22, 1988.
1988: "Things Change" Filmed at Dolby Estate
The 1988 film "Things Change" was filmed at the Dolby Estate on the western shore of Lake Tahoe.
1996: New Year's Flood
Around New Year's 1996, a Pineapple Express atmospheric river brought heavy snowmelt to Lake Tahoe, causing both the lake and the Truckee River to overflow. This resulted in significant flooding in Reno and the surrounding areas.
1997: Lowest Recorded Clarity of Lake Tahoe
In 1997, Lake Tahoe experienced its lowest recorded clarity, with an average Secchi depth of 64.1 feet (19.5 meters).
1997: New Year's Flood
Around New Year's 1997, a Pineapple Express atmospheric river brought heavy snowmelt to Lake Tahoe, causing both the lake and the Truckee River to overflow. This resulted in significant flooding in Reno and the surrounding areas.
2002: End of Temperature Recording Period
The recording of Lake Tahoe's temperature, showing a warming trend, ended in 2002.
September 2004: Ponderosa Ranch Closes
The Ponderosa Ranch, a popular tourist attraction featured in the TV series "Bonanza," closed in September 2004 after being sold to developer David Duffield.
2006: Appearance of Goldfish
Goldfish, an invasive species, were observed in Lake Tahoe starting in 2006, possibly introduced through dumping or fishing bait.
June 2007: Angora Fire
The Angora Fire, which burned approximately 3,100 acres (1,300 hectares) in the South Lake Tahoe area, occurred in June 2007.
2010: Second Lowest Recorded Clarity
The second lowest clarity was recorded in 2010, with an average Secchi depth of 64.4 feet (19.6 meters).
2011: Beginning of Clarity Improvement
Lake Tahoe's clarity began to improve in 2011.
2014: Significant Clarity Improvement
By 2014, the lake's clarity had significantly improved by almost 20 percent.
2014: "Last Weekend" Filmed at Dolby Estate
The 2014 film "Last Weekend" was primarily filmed at the lakefront home of Ray and Dagmar Dolby, built in 1929.
2018: Federal Survey Monument Relocated
Around 2018, a federal survey monument marking the California border was moved to the Lake Tahoe Historical Society.
2019: Reintroduction of Lahontan Cutthroat Trout
Efforts to reintroduce the Lahontan cutthroat trout to Lake Tahoe began in 2019. The species had been completely eradicated from the lake in the early 20th century due to the introduction of non-native fish species, the Asian clam, and mysid shrimp.
2019: First Discovery of Microplastics
Microplastics were discovered in Lake Tahoe for the first time in 2019 by the Desert Research Institute.
2021: NHL Outdoor Games at Lake Tahoe
In 2021, Lake Tahoe hosted two outdoor NHL games.
2023: High Concentrations of Microplastics Found
In 2023, measurements revealed that Lake Tahoe had some of the highest microplastic pollution concentrations among 38 lakes and reservoirs studied.