Volunteers needed for Snapshot Day

Snapshot Day is a citizen science water quality monitoring event that takes place every May with the goal of connecting the community with its watershed.

On the morning of Saturday, May 15, volunteers will fan out across the Truckee River Watershed to take water samples from creeks, streams, and smaller lakes, as well as Lake Tahoe itself, to get a snapshot of water quality in the Tahoe-Truckee watershed at a single moment in time.

The League to Save Lake Tahoe is coordinating volunteer teams to sample sites along Lake Tahoe’s south shore, from Meeks Bay to Zephyr Cove, as well as the headwaters of the Upper Truckee River. Volunteers are welcome and encouraged to become citizen scientists for the day. Individuals, families and groups interested in participating can sign up at bit.ly/ssd-2021.

Since 2001, Snapshot Day partners have sampled sites from Meyers to the north shore, on to Truckee and through Reno, terminating at Pyramid Lake. By collecting water quality data from the same sites each year, the League and event partners are able to track changes in the health of Lake Tahoe and the Tahoe-Truckee watershed. Snapshot Day also provides a unique opportunity for the community to connect with the watershed in its own backyard through hands-on, scientific fieldwork.

Snapshot Day will be held from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 15. Team leaders will be asked to attend specialized training from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 13. Participation is open to all ages, and no prior experience is required. Signing up as a family unit or pod is encouraged.

For more information about Snapshot Day and the specific water quality tests volunteers will conduct, please visit keeptahoeblue.org/ssd.

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