Lake Tahoe

Located along the border between California and Nevada, Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America. Surrounded by blue spruce, alpine and pinion pine the area is rich in history and known throughout the world as the “secret hiding place” of the rich and famous. Whether you desire a multi-million dollar mansion on the lake, a quaint, rustic cabin nestled at the foot of the Sierras, or a condo close to the casinos and world-renown ski resorts, Tahoe is one of the most sought after places to call home. 

What's In A Name

Tahoe is a Washoe Indian word, generally believed to mean “Big Water” or “Big Blue.”  While no exact definition has ever been agreed upon, many have interpreted the word to mean many things.  Mark Twain, while visiting Lake Tahoe in his earlier days, was said to have defined Tahoe as “Grasshopper Soup”.  Others have said the word means “Strong Water” or “Whiskey”.  Whatever the meaning, the word Tahoe has long had a mystical connotation, which is appropriate in describing the overwhelming beauty of the lake. 

Physical Characteristics

Elevation:  The surface elevation varies between 6223’ and 6229’ depending upon the snowpack and how much water is released through the Truckee River.  The highest peak on the Lake’s shoreline is Mount Tallac at 9725’, while the highest peak in the Basin is Freel Peak at 10,881’.  The lake itself is the highest lake of its size in the United States.
Location:  Lake Tahoe is located on the California/Nevada border, 198 miles northeast of San Francisco, 98 miles east of Sacramento and 58 miles southwest of Reno, Nevada.

Size:  The Lake Tahoe Basin, which area defines along the crest of the Sierra Nevada and the Carson Range, covers 482 square miles.  Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake on the North American continent.  It is 12 miles wide, 22 miles long, with a surface area of 198 square miles (70 of which are in Nevada).  The shoreline is 72 miles long while it’s maximum depth is 1645 feet.  The average depth of the lake is 989 feet.  Only two lakes in North America are deeper than Lake Tahoe-Crater Lake in Oregon (1930 feet) and the Great Slave Lake in Canada (2010 feet).  Lake Mead is backed up 227 miles by Hoover Dam into the Grand Canyon of the Colorado and is considered one of the largest man-made lakes in the world.  Lake Tahoe contains nearly four times the maximum capacity of Lake Mead.  The panama Canal average 700 feet in width and 50 feet in depth, yet such a canal could be filled by Lake Tahoe’s water and extend completely around the earth at the equator, with enough remaining in the lake to fill another channel of the same width and depth running from San Francisco to New York.

Volume:  Lake Tahoe contains an estimated 122,160,280 acre feet of water, enough to cover the entire state of California to a depth of 14 inches and Texas to a depth of 8 ½ inches!  On an average, 1.4 million tons of water evaporates from the surface of Lake Tahoe every 24hours, yet the lake level drops only one tenth of an inch.  The water which evaporates each day is enough to supply the needs of 3.5 million people per day.  The total evaporation averages more per day than the water released through the Truckee river Dam outlet; for example, the maximum flow through the gates at lake level of 6227.56 feet amounts to 1,464 cubic feet per second.  There are 63 tributaries draining into Lake Tahoe with only one outlet at the Truckee River. 

Water Clarity:  Tahoe’s waters are among the purest in the world at 99.7% pure.  A white dinner plate can be seen 120 feet below the surface with little trouble. 

Water Temp:  Lake Tahoe never freezes over due to the constant movement of water from the bottom to the surface.  This “turnover” allows an enormous mass movement of water, and keeps the lake ice free.  However, ice may form at times along the shoreline in small protected inlets.  During the summer, the upper 12 feet forms a layer that can warm to 68 degrees F., but below depths of 700 feet during the winter the temperature remains a constant 39 degrees F.

Climate

Snowfall:  Lake Tahoe gets an average of 215.4 inches of snowfall, or a little under 18 feet.  Upper elevation can get between 300 and 500 inches per year. 

Winds:  Winds are generally mild, 10-15 mph, out of the west and northwest.  During storm periods they can average 25-35 mph.

Sunshine:  The sunshine probability for the Basin is 84%, with at least 300 days of sun per year.
Dress:  Sweaters and jackets are almost always necessary in the evenings.  Winter means heavy jackets and warm boots and clothes, while summer days can be spent in shorts and t-shirts.

Population:  In the 1950’s there were 2,500 permanent residents in the Lake Tahoe Basin.  By 1999 that number had risen to 52,570 with 14,734 in Nevada and 37,836 in California.