The iconic blue color that draws people to coming over Lake Tahoe is thought to be caused by its clear blue waters. However, recent findings reported by the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center or the TERC to E Science News states that algae are the main reason for the blueness of the lake. 

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The report recently released by the TERC researchers also indicate that climate change, drought, and algae concentration are the strongest factors that have affected the color of the lake. 

The Science Blog reports on what causes the clarity and blueness of Lake Tahoe. The sediments that are gathered in the lake affects the overall clarity while the concentration of the algae affects the bluish color of the lake. 

Geoffrey Schladow, the director of TERC, who is also a professor of civil engineering, considers this as good news. His remarks are basically because they have a better understanding how Lake Tahoe works as the season and climate changes. 

Schladow explains that the new information they have is useful in controlling the nutrients being placed unto Lake Tahoe. The nutrients can either be airborne, from the nearby forest, or from the lawns in the lake's surrounding. The lower precipitation in 2014 contributed to the sediment and nutrient's amount. 

Shohei Watanabe, a research scientist from UC Davis, collaborated with NASA researchers to find out more about the relationship between Lake Tahoe's blueness and clarity. A buoy floating in the middle of the lake was taken as a part of the research, and it revealed that the deep blue color of the lake does not mean the lake is clear.

Watanabe further explained to Reno Gazette Journal that the results, when combined to the other measurements and findings to determine the clarity of the lake, only showed that the blue color and clarity of the lake is totally opposite. 

There will be times in a year when the clarity of the lake will increase, allowing one to have a deeper view of the depths of the lake. During this period of clarity, the deep blue color of the lake will diminish. Also, when the lake will have a bluer color, that is when the clarity of the lake decreases.  

TagsLake Tahoe, algae in lake tahoe, keeping lake tahoe clean, keep lake tahoe clear, cleaning up lake tahoe