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, an ambitious initiative focused on investigating litter accumulation and aquatic health at depths between 35 and 55 feet in Lake Tahoe.
Innovative Methods for Deep-Water Cleanup
The team employed Diver Propulsion Vehicles and Nitrox breathing gas to enhance diver efficiency and safety. These advanced techniques allowed them to collect essential data, which will support future large-scale underwater cleanup efforts.
Project Timeline and Volunteer Effort
From February to July 2025, CUTL organized 14 cleanup days involving 29 dives. A total of 26 unique volunteers participated, filling 80 volunteer positions and dedicating 480 hours both underwater and onshore.
Cleanup Results
- Removed 1,933 pounds of litter
- Collected 1,042 individual items
- Covered 6.1 miles of lakebed and 4.75 miles of shoreline in Placer County
- Common items included 248 glass bottles, 21 anchors, and various metal, plastic, and recreational debris
Preliminary Findings
Preliminary data analysis suggests that if litter densities found in the pilot area persist throughout Lake Tahoe, over 29,000 pounds of debris and 17,000 items may remain at similar depths across the entire lake.
Author's summary: Clean Up The Lake's pilot reveals significant underwater litter in Lake Tahoe and demonstrates advanced deep-water methods for effective cleanup.