Climate change has become one of the
top threats to Lake Tahoe's environment and its famed clarity. We are seeing a shift to more precipitation falling as rain instead of snow, and more frequent intense storms, which is worsening the effects of stormwater pollution. Lake water temperatures have already risen. Warmer waters are more hospitable to aquatic invasive plants and excessive algae growth. Just last month, scientists with the
UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center found that our warming climate influenced last year's decrease in lake clarity for the second year in a row.
Yesterday's decision by the White House to pull out of the Paris Agreement makes our job to shore up Lake Tahoe's resilience to global warming all the more important. By restoring wetlands and marshes that act as pollution filters for the Lake, and by tackling invasive species through our citizen science programs, we are giving the Lake the tools it needs to combat the impacts of climate change. We will never back down from this effort. Even if we cannot rely on leadership at the national level, your commitment gives us hope.
With your support, we resolve to continue to advocate, educate and collaborate to find solutions to environmental challenges at Tahoe.
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