While you are out paddling, why not do a little detective work as our Eyes on the Lake. Eyes on the Lake is a volunteer program to help prevent the spread of aquatic invasive plants in Tahoe’s waters that hurt our pristine waters and clog our gear.
Eyes on the Lake: Protect While You Play
The two main targets of the Eyes on the Lake program are curlyleaf pondweed and Eurasian watermilfoil, which are already established in several locations throughout the Lake, and are difficult and expensive to control.These weeds clog recreational equipment, degrade shoreline beauty, and impede views of the Lake’s bottom.
Milfoil is a common aquarium plant that was first introduced to the Tahoe Keys decades ago. It has now spread to dozens of locations throughout Tahoe by hitching a ride on boats.If you want to help ensure Tahoe’s waters stay clear and pristine, then Eyes on the Lake is for you. Volunteers learn how to identify plants in the classroom and in the field.
How to participate:
Become a certified Eyes on the Lake volunteer. Register for and attend one of our FREE training sessions, where you will learn how to:
- Identify aquatic invasive plants,
- Complete simple surveys while you are enjoying Tahoe’s waters,
- Report what you find, AND
- Help stop aquatic invasive plants in their tracks.
Your trained “eyes on the lake” will provide information to the Lake Tahoe Aquatic Invasive Species Program that can result in early detection of new infestations and more effective treatment. With your help we can stop the assault of these invaders on our crystal clear waters.
Eyes on the Lake is led by the League to Save Lake Tahoe, in partnership with the Tahoe Resource Conservation District and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, as well as other organizations that make up the Lake Tahoe Aquatic Invasive Species Program.
Citizen App
Use the TERC Citizen Science Tahoe app:
Help us protect Lake Tahoe with Citizen Science
To make it even easier, now you can share your observations of Lake Tahoe—whether at the beach or out on the water—with scientists to help researchers better understand conditions around the lake. Observations of water color, clarity, algae growth, and litter can be submitted through the Citizen Science Tahoe app. Each observation automatically records the user’s location and the date and time. Users can also add photos and their own comments.
About Citizen Science
With online platforms, citizen scientists can act as volunteers monitoring their surrounding environment. Citizen scientists can help researchers at Lake Tahoe by taking a few minutes to enter what they see at the beach—whether it’s an algal bloom, cloudy water, or litter on the beach. Science needs both sides of the story. So users are encouraged to report both the positive and negative things they see.
The Citizen Science Tahoe App is available for Apple and Android phones. Users do not need to utilize their cellular data and can wait to upload images when connected to Wi-Fi. This makes the app easy to use in even the most remote locations!
