is Eutrophication. Eutrophication is an accelerated process of nutrient enrichment of a lake or its watershed, resulting in excessive algae growth and oxygen depletion of the deeper parts of the water body. It occurs as a result of man-made or natural input of nutrients, such as mineral runoff from soils, fertilizer runoff from golf courses, and urban runoff. Eutrophication is an ongoing process in Lake Tahoe, and its severity is increasing as Lake Tahoe’s ecosystem is being disrupted by human activity. The nutrients from urban and agricultural runoff cause algal blooms and destruction of aquatic habitats. In addition, these blooms deplete oxygen, creating dead zones in the lake. This affects organisms such as fish, which can no longer live in the lake’s oxygen-depleted deeper waters. The most effective way to reduce eutrophication in Lake Tahoe is to reduce the amount of nutrients that enter the lake from runoff. This can be done by implementing land management strategies that limit fertilizer use and runoff from urban areas and by preventing the runoff of stormwater pollution. Other strategies include the removal of accumulated sediment from the lake, the introduction of natural predators of algae, and the adoption of best management practices for land surrounding Lake Tahoe.
The monster that feeds and eats away at Lake Tahoe
