beaches

LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Everyone has seen the pictures, piles of broken plastic sleds left behind in the snow, trash left behind on the beaches and even pet waste disposal bags left along the trails.

Shared on social media, these photos of irresponsible people enjoying the beauty of Lake Tahoe have spread like runny pancake batter. The reason most visit and live around the Lake Tahoe Basin is for the natural beauty everywhere one looks. The majestic peaks and pine-tree filled mountains, the crystal blue water, beaches lining much of the 72-mile circumference of the pristine Lake Tahoe.

New laws will be going into effect in California in the new year, putting into place California legislature action during 2019. There are many changes including road safety and distracted driving penalties, roadkill rules, minimum wage, independent workers and rent caps.

Except where noted, these laws are effective January 1, 2020:

Traffic Safety

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) is highlighting several new laws passed this year:

INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. - Even before the first line was drawn on a map in 1988, residents and visitors of North Lake Tahoe have been dreaming of a trail that provides a safer alternative for cyclists and beachgoers near the scenic East Shore of Lake Tahoe. Through the work of 13 partners, the impossible is now a reality with the opening of the new Tahoe East Shore Trail. The opportunity now exists to safely explore a wide range of activities along the East Shore, whether walking, riding, or rolling. Here’s what you need to know before you go.

We’ve finally settled into a spectacular Tahoe summer. Like a shooting star, summer is fleeting, with the Fourth of July already in our review mirror. With all the outdoor recreation that summer affords us here at Lake Tahoe, here’s one more experience worth noting.

If you’re looking for a stunningly beautiful bike ride or a perfect pathway on which to take a walk, the new East Shore Tahoe Trail is unparalleled. Dignitaries recently gathered to celebrate the trail’s grand opening at the end of June. The path is a three-mile link between the south end of Incline Village and Sand Harbor.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - There is more to do in South Lake Tahoe on the 4th of July than watch one of the top fireworks shows in the west.

To start off the holiday, the City of South Lake Tahoe is organizing the annual 4th of July parade down Highway 50 from Ski Run Boulevard to Bijou Community Park on Al Tahoe Boulevard starting at 10:00 a.m.

LAKE TAHOE, Nev. - The Tahoe East Shore Trail at Lake Tahoe is now open to non-motorized bicycle and foot traffic. The Nevada Department of Transportation and Tahoe Transportation District, along with their partners in the project, celebrated during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday afternoon the three-mile path between southern Incline Village and Sand Harbor State Park.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The California Tahoe Conservancy (CTC) board voted Thursday to spend $500,000 to start planning for improved beach access, stormwater improvement, and shoreline stabilization along part of the South Lake Tahoe shoreline that once housed the Alta Mira Building.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif.- The problem of aquatic invasive weeds and nuisance plants in the Tahoe Keys continues to grow, even with the Tahoe Keys Property Owners Association (TKPOA) investing time and money to control the problem. The aquatic invasive species (AIS) continue to spread and the costs continue to grow.

While it felt like spring had finally arrived, we all know Mother Nature can be fickle, especially at Lake Tahoe. For those who love to play in the snow, it was a fantastic winter, and a banner year for the Sierra snowpack. Despite some cooler weather now, steady warmer temperatures are on the way and our attention is shifting from the mountains to the lake.

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. - The snow is melting and temperatures are rising, signaling the change of seasons in Lake Tahoe, and the opening of campgrounds, beaches and other recreational areas.

The USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) will soon begin the process of opening their facilities in the Lake Tahoe Basin, weather and snow conditions permitting,

The first two beaches to open will be Baldwin and Nevada with an opening date planned for this Saturday, April 27, 2019.

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. - Giving people a positive experience as they travel along the west shore of Lake Tahoe will require removing congestion from the roadway is one of the goals of the State Route 89 Recreation Corridor Management Plan.

A collaboration of 17 agencies and organizations have been working on the plan which covers the stretch from 15th street in South Lake Tahoe to the Placer County line at Sugar Pine Point State Park. Along the plan area are popular areas to view scenery, hike, bike and visit beaches along a 12 mile stretch of undeveloped shoreline.

Several campgrounds, day-use and picnic areas, roads and beaches on National Forest lands around Lake Tahoe are being closed up for the winter season.

Campgrounds already closed include Bayview, Fallen Leaf, Kaspian, Meeks Bay, Nevada Beach and William Kent. Day-use areas and beaches closed include Baldwin, Kaspian, Meeks Bay, Nevada Beach, Pope and William Kent.

The Tallac Historic Site closed up at the end of September though the grounds remain open.

Almost 100 volunteers participated in the League to Save Lake Tahoe's 21st annual Tahoe Forest Stewardship Day on the first day of Fall, September 22, 2018. They restored crumbling stream banks, worked to protect native species and removed litter from Nevada Beach at Lake Tahoe.

“Hands-on restoration work is one of the most important actions we can take to Keep Tahoe Blue,” says Marilee Movius, the League’s community engagement manager, “and many hands make for lighter work to help out our busy land managers.”

Early on the morning of September 3, 2018, over 70 Keep Tahoe Blue volunteers arrived at Commons Beach in Tahoe City to comb the sands along six miles of shoreline in search of items left behind by those enjoying the previous night’s fireworks festivities.

They collected 224 pounds of litter including 2,064 cigarette butts and 1,520 pieces of plastic. League to Save Lake Tahoe staff ship the cigarette butts to a company on the east coast that upcycles them into new plastic products. Plastic cannot be upcycled and end up in landfills.

Heading to Lake Tahoe this Labor Day weekend to celebrate the unofficial end of summer? Below are some tips and important information for residents and visitors to keep in mind for a safe and fun-filled holiday weekend.

The beaches can get thrashed with trash after the popular holiday weekend festivities. Help us keep our beaches clean! We provide cleanup materials, refreshments and a prize. Ride your bike to receive a special gift. Bring your reusable water bottle and friends!

In partnership with Arcade Belts and the Tahoe City Public Utility District.

For questions or more information, email events@keeptahoeblue.org or call 530.541.5388.

Visit the event page to RSVP
https://donate.keeptahoeblue.org/event/keep-tahoe-blue-labor-day-cleanup/e197637

Location

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - 499 volunteers hit the beaches of Lake Tahoe Thursday as part of the annual July 5 Beach Cleanup crew. Each year, volunteers hit the beaches to pick up trash left over by holiday revelers.

This year they removed 1,458 pounds of litter from five beaches: Commons Beach in Tahoe City, Kings Beach, Kiva Beach, Nevada Beach and Regan Beach in South Lake Tahoe. Not only did they comb the six miles of beach, but they also sorted and counted the items collected.

Erosion from a high water level in Lake Tahoe has prompted closure of El Dorado Beach at Lakeview Commons in South Lake Tahoe.

Summer officially arrived yesterday and recreational activities are in full swing in the Tahoe Basin. The Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team (TFFT) would like to take this opportunity to remind visitors and residents that wildfires pose a serious threat to Lake Tahoe neighborhoods and communities and we need help to prevent any unwanted fires this summer. Whether camping, hiking or participating in some other activity in the forest, keep in mind the following advice to Keep Tahoe Fire Safe.

Fireworks

About the Event

After Tahoe's celebrated July Fourth festivities, our beaches are thrashed with trash, which can hurt wildlife and lake clarity. Each year, hundreds of Tahoe residents and visitors turn out for our largest cleanup of the year to remove litter from our beaches. Help Keep Tahoe Blue by joining a beach cleanup site!

We will provide cleanup materials, refreshments and raffle prizes.

Be sure to bring:
Reusable water bottle, sunscreen, cleanup gloves (if you have them), hat, sunglasses and wear comfortable clothing and shoes, as well as any snacks that you would like.

Some of the Changable Message Signs (CMS) in California are down due to a transition to a new technology. These signs in South Lake Tahoe normally show how long it takes to get from Stateline to the Y, and then to Placerville, along with other stops.

Caltrans had to break down one system before the next could be implemented.

The South Lake Tahoe signs should be working in about two weeks according to Caltrans officials. Other signs in the county should be back up in one week.

Lake Tahoe’s shoreline is a place of majestic beauty with sandy beaches and secluded, boulder-strewn coves. It’s where residents and visitors alike go to enjoy Tahoe’s famously cold, clear water, whether they are dipping their toes in for the first time or launching their boat, kayak, or paddleboard for a daily outing.

In advance of Earth Day, the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center will have a presentation on April 10 around the fact that 500 million straws used, and discarded, daily in the United States.

That is enough straws to wrap around the Earth's circumference 2.5 times a day.

The South Lake Tahoe City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to start the process to implement a three-tier ban of Styrofoam (Polystyrene) in the city limits.

Following the path of over one hundred cities and counties in California, South Lake Tahoe will ban single-use Polystyrene used for take-out foods, and ban retail sales of foam coolers and single-use food containers at all retail stores. The third tier voted on is already a part of special event regulations - all containers used must be compostable.