New "street" view interactive map of all 72 miles of Lake Tahoe shoreline with above and below water images

TAHOE CITY, Calif. - The Tahoe Fund and EarthViews released the first-ever “Street View” style map of all 72 miles of Lake Tahoe’s shoreline. This new, interactive Lake Tahoe ShoreView Map offers a 360-degree view of the shoreline, as well as underwater views and water quality data.

“This map allows people to see Tahoe like never before,” said Amy Berry, CEO of the Tahoe Fund. “You can tour Emerald Bay, ‘paddle’ through the iconic rocks of Sand Harbor, or explore the hidden beaches along the East Shore with just the click of a button. Best of all, this new tool is bringing a wealth of data and information to scientists and conservation organizations working to improve the health of the Lake.”

According to UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center, conditions differ widely around the Lake’s nearshore — or the area ranging about 350 feet from the shoreline — due to variations in temperature, stormwater flow and runoff, aquatic invasive species, the effects of recreation, and fluctuation in lake levels. With these factors impacting water quality and the Lake’s iconic clarity, it’s critical to closely monitor the conditions on the shoreline.

“This comprehensive look at today’s conditions will serve as a significant historical marker,” explained Brian Footen, president and co-founder of EarthViews. “Scientists will be able to look back 5, 10, or 50 years from now and understand how water quality and the physical shoreline have changed over time.”

To create this map, Footen spent seven days circumnavigating the Lake in a kayak, with cameras and water quality measurement tools strapped to the vessel. Using mobile mapping technology, Footen was able to capture synchronized imagery and data every ten seconds as he navigated along the nearshore. This information was then published online as a “street view” like experience letting the user explore the shoreline from their desktop or mobile device.

For the past year, Footen has been conducting several conservation-minded waterway mapping projects for EarthViews, most notably the Puget Sound in Washington and the Great Salt Lake in Utah. Recently, he presented his findings from the Lake Tahoe ShoreView Map to the Tahoe Science Advisory Council to help inform ongoing research and data collection in Lake Tahoe.

The Tahoe Fund, a nonprofit organization that supports environmental improvement projects around the Tahoe Basin, provided the funding for the Lake Tahoe ShoreView Map. The organization works to improve lake clarity through funding initiatives like the 72-mile scuba clean-up of Lake Tahoe and the Taylor-Tallac aquatic invasive species removal project.

“This new tool is an opportunity to inspire learning and showcase the beauty and breadth of this Lake,” said Berry. “But don’t just take our word for it, go see it first-hand.”

Explore the Lake Tahoe ShoreView Map here.