Drought to affect the changing of season in South Lake Tahoe

Thousands flock to the Sierra Nevada every fall to watch the color changes of the aspen trees along with the annual upstream migration of the Kokanee Salmon in Taylor Creek to lay their eggs and complete their life cycle.

The bright yellows, oranges and reds of the aspen are emblematic of fall in Lake Tahoe, but this year that will not happen in the typical fashion that people have become accustomed to.

In a stroll through many of the aspen groves on the South Shore it looks like fall has already happened with dried leaves leaving the branches and making their way to the forest floor.

Walking down Taylor Creek from the Rainbow Trail to Lake Tahoe is another indicator that this fall may not be like any recent ones. The creek is already shallow and the outlet on the lake is almost cutoff by sand. One wonders how the fish will make their way to where people have enjoyed watching them head over rocks and rapids to the top of the creek.

The culprit in both cases? The drought.

The normally breathtaking change of color is a treat for the beholder as the days get shorter and the temperatures start to drop. With many aspen trees in Lake Tahoe already full of dead leaves that never experienced the oranges and reds they are famous for, many may feel gypped the ceremonious passage of autumn has escaped them this year.

Areas of the Sierra that were blessed with rains this summer may not suffer the same plight as those near the USFS Visitor Center north of Camp Richardson. The soil in these areas may allow the aspen to follow the traditional change from summer to fall.

"The lack of water encourages the aspens to shed their leaves early," said Lisa Herron, Public Affairs Specialist with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). "This helps reduce the tree’s water use in order for the tree to stay alive."

In other terms, the trees are doing what they have to do to survive as they don't know when they'll get their next drink of water.

The Kokanee are another story. They are non-native to Lake Tahoe and humans can step in and help them out where Mother Nature has left off.

Due to the heavy rains early this summer there is a bit more water in Fallen Leaf Lake than last year so the USFS is anticipating there will be enough water for the Kokanee to spawn.

"The salmon are opportunists and based on second-hand reports we heard last year, salmon were spawning in other streams, and will continue to do so, depending on where they can go." said Herron. "The salmon will spawn in areas they can access."

If needed, the Kokanee can spawn with assistance from manipulating the stream water levels to help and egg collection by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife according to Herron.