Clean Up The Lake Completes Tahoe Deep Dive Pilot Project
Nonprofit organization Clean Up The Lake (CUTL) has successfully finished its Tahoe Deep Dive Pilot Project, a focused research and cleanup mission investigating litter accumulation and aquatic health at depths between 35 and 55 feet in Lake Tahoe.
Employing Diver Propulsion Vehicles and Nitrox, the team applied advanced deep-water techniques to boost diver efficiency and safety while collecting vital data to inform future large-scale underwater cleanups.
Project Activity and Volunteer Involvement
From February to July 2025, CUTL carried out 14 cleanup days with 29 dives, involving 26 unique volunteers who filled 80 volunteer positions and contributed a total of 480 hours both underwater and onshore.
Cleanup Results and Findings
- Collected 1,933 pounds of litter, consisting of 1,042 individual items
- Cleaned 6.1 miles of lakebed and 4.75 miles of Placer County shoreline
- Common items recovered included 248 glass bottles, 21 anchors, along with various metal, plastic, and recreational debris
Preliminary Data Insights
Preliminary data suggests if debris concentrations in the pilot area are similar throughout Lake Tahoe, over 29,000 pounds of litter and 17,000 items may remain at comparable depths across the lake.
These findings highlight the extent of underwater pollution and underscore the importance of expanding cleanup efforts to preserve Lake Tahoe's ecosystem.
Author’s summary: Clean Up The Lake’s pilot project revealed significant underwater litter, demonstrating the need for expanded cleanup operations to protect Lake Tahoe’s aquatic health and shorelines.