Environmental Change in the Lake Tahoe Basin

A Synthesis of Science and Public Policy

Robert N. Coats, Sudeep Chandra, Alan Heyvaert, Charles R. Goldman, S. Geoffrey Schladow

• Publisher: University of Nevada Press
• Year: 2025
• Print ISBN: 9781647792114
• eBook ISBN: 9781647792121
• Topic: Biological Sciences
• Subtopic: Environmental Science
• Index: Biological Sciences

The Lake Tahoe Basin is both a natural treasure and a complex case study in environmental management. Environmental Change in the Lake Tahoe Basin offers a comprehensive assessment of the region's environmental history, current conditions, and future challenges, providing lessons in how science-based policies can drive effective stewardship in high-value, high-conflict landscapes.

For over a century, scientific research and management efforts have aimed to mitigate the impacts of logging, mining, pollution, and invasive species while balancing urban development, tourism, and ecological preservation on the Lake. The book explores these challenges through a multidisciplinary lens, integrating environmental science, policy analysis, and case studies of both successful and failed management strategies. Written by experts who have played direct roles in key scientific discoveries and policy decisions, the book also examines the influence of environmental organizations and litigation in shaping conservation efforts.

At its core, the authors argue that the Tahoe Basin serves as a model for science-driven land and water stewardship. The book evaluates long-term monitoring programs, offering actionable recommendations for improving environmental oversight and resource management. Combining scientific analysis with accessible language, Environmental Change in the Lake Tahoe Basin serves as an up-to-date review of the region's environmental challenges, providing an essential guide for scientists, resource managers, and policymakers.
 
The authors will donate all royalties from the sale of this volume to the Union of Concerned Scientist, www.ucs.org.
 

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Contents
• List of Illustrations
• List of Tables
• Foreword
• Foreword
• Preface
• Chapter 1. A Half Century of Research and Public Outreach to Protect Lake Tahoe
• Chapter 2. The Role of Advocacy in the Tahoe Basin
• Chapter 3. Long-Term Climate History in the Tahoe Basin and Its Implications for Future Water Policy
• Chapter 4. Climate Change in the Tahoe Basin: Hydrologic Impacts and Responses
• Chapter 5. Air Quality in the Lake Tahoe Basin
• Chapter 6. Research, Modeling, and Monitoring to Develop a Management Strategy for Lake Clarity
• Chapter 7. Climate Change and the Future of the Lake
• Chapter 8. Forests and Climate Change in the Lake Tahoe Basin
• Chapter 9. The Nearshore Environment of Lake Tahoe
• Chapter 10. Stream Restoration in the Tahoe Basin: Planning, Design, and Implementation
• Chapter 11. Aquatic Invasive Species at Lake Tahoe: A Wicked Environmental Dilemma
• Chapter 12. Celebrating the Native Biology of Lake Tahoe: From the Shallow Edge to the Open Water and the Deep Abyss
• Chapter 13. Biodiversity and Its Future in the Lake Tahoe Basin
• Chapter 14. The Intersection of Science and Policy at Lake Tahoe: Successes and Challenges
• Chapter 15. Synthesis and Lessons Learned
• Acknowledgments
• Glossary
• Contributors
• Index
• About the Editors