SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Viewers of the “Guardians of Lake Tahoe: A Dive into Aquatic Conservation” webinar were treated to the unique experience of diving in the Emerald Forest, a part of the Emerald Bay filled with submerged trees and remnants of avalanches past. The California State Parks hosted a livestream of diver and state park interpreter Jeremy Lin as he performed an invasive species survey and explained the importance of preserving and protecting Lake Tahoe.

The broadcast was part of California’s Parks Online Resources for Teachers and Students (PORTS), which hosts these PORTScasts for thousands of students across the United States. The program began during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and were previously called Home Learning Programs, which now continue to give digital access to the California state parks.

This one was hosted with the intention of highlighting “the critical conservation efforts underway, focusing on the removal and monitoring of AIS, including the Eurasian Watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum)” according to the program description. Park interpreters have been doing these programs for Lake Tahoe since the beginning of the PORTScasts program. This is the third recorded live dive at Tahoe, the first being at Sugar Point State Park and the second at Emerald Bay.

Interpreters encouraged audience participation throughout the program. They educated the audience on the differences between native and invasive species in the lake, what kind of gear and methods are used for invasive species surveys, and the progress made in preserving Lake Tahoe.

One major step forward is the decrease in Eurasian watermilfoil, one of the most pressing invasive species present in the lake. The interpreters highlighted the major drop in the plants since 2011, making the waters less murky and brown and restoring the vibrant blues and greens of the water, especially around Vikingsholm Beach. Back in 2022, the Biden-Harris administration gave $3.4 million to the Washoe Tribe and Tahoe Regional Planning Agency to address invasive species management through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Both of these entities work with the state parks to do so.

Divers who help manage Eurasian watermilfoil use techniques like hand pulling, setting down rubber mats, and suctioning to remove the plants from the lake. To keep a visual on the plants, the divers have to be careful not to stir up sediment from the bottom—which Lin demonstrated by floating just above the lake floor in what he called a “Mission Impossible” move and humming the theme to viewers.

Since 2008, Lake Tahoe hasn’t identified any new invasive aquatic species. But the interpreters highlighted the importance of ensuring that no new ones proliferate through the positive feedback cycle, since the presence of an invasive species often invites others into the ecosystem. Beyond plants, the lake has had non-native fish introduced ranging from rainbow trout to goldfish.

The team closed out by asking about solution on how to keep the lake clean and emphasized keeping water vessels like boats and paddleboards clean, drained, and dry. They also made special mention of collaboration through regional planning agencies, tribes, and multi-state collaborations for California and Nevada. “It takes all of us to protect this beautiful place, including people like you,” said Lin.

Lin said that other live dives will be announced soon for the PORTScast system.

Eli Ramos is a reporter for Tahoe Daily Tribune. They are part of the 2024–26 cohort of California Local News Fellows through UC Berkeley.