Lake Tahoe, California / Nev. – Samples are taken and take place in the laboratories according to the annual day of Tahoe Blue by Tahoe Blue which took place on Saturday May 10, marking the 25th year that the event invited anyone to become a scientist for a day.
The milestone makes it one of the scientific events of the oldest citizens in the country. Year after year, volunteers help sample water in May since streams, streams, small lakes and Tahoe lake itself to take an “instant” of water quality in a single instant. Participants sample and test water for dissolved oxygen factors, pH, nutrients, as well as others.
While the data say that the Truckee-Tahoe watershed always has an excellent water quality, keep Tahoe Blue’s communications director Chris Joseph, says that it is not the only lesson.
“”My main point to remember from this event is that Tahoe has a very committed community, very motivated and very steeped in volunteers and scientific citizens (residents and visitors) who want to protect the lake. »»
This year, 76 volunteers have put scientific hats and sampled 32 separate sites between Zephyr Cove and Meeks Bay.
Many of these volunteers are repeated participants. This includes Larry Green, professor of mathematics at the Lake Tahoe Community College, who participated in 24 of the 25 years of the snapshots. The only event he missed was in 2020 when the public did not participate in the pandemic.
Dedicated citizen scientists come from many horizons and ages. Everett Patterson, the 10 -year -old son of Keep Tahoe Blue’s strategy director, Jesse Patterson, has participated every day in snapping since his birth.
A group of animated volunteers who sample the same site each year have nicknamed the “Trout Creekers”, with personalized shirts for their team. Trout Creeker, Tara Dobyns, illustrated their dedication when she reprogrammed a trip abroad so that she can participate in this year’s event.
Eight students from the Jesse Patterson water resource class at the LTCC led the sampling teams. The former students of this course progressed to careers in the environmental field, some here in Tahoe.
The event is important for Lake Tahoe and the community. The lake benefits from surveillance, which follows the changes in the health of Lake Tahoe and the Rivière Truckee watershed, offering an overview of the drought and impacts of forest fires. For the community, Snapshot Day offers a unique opportunity to connect with the environment thanks to practical and scientific work in the field.
Lime sponsorship made a lunch and a raffle possible for the participants. The South Tahoe Public Utility District and Lahontan Water Board gave a laboratory analysis.