Divers Recover 12 Tons Of Trash From Lake Tahoe

May 24, 2022

A scuba dive team has removed more than 12 tons of submerged trash from Lake Tahoe during a year-long clean-up mission.

On May 14, 2021, the Clean Up The Lake SCUBA dive team embarked on an extraordinary effort to recover submerged litter around all 72-miles of Lake Tahoe's shoreline. The nonprofit has announced they have officially completed the project.

"Over the past year, despite winter weather, Covid and wildfire related challenges, our dive team has been in the water at every opportunity to complete this unforgettable effort," said Colin West, founder and executive director of Clean Up The Lake.

"While the dive team has removed many expected and unexpected items along the way, ultimately what we hope people remember is the length that one group of individuals was willing to go to in order to protect their home and their planet, and in turn people should ask themselves how they are choosing to contribute to preserving our environment today."

In total, the dive team collected 24,797 pieces of litter, bringing the total weight removed to 25,281 pounds (12.64 tons).

Divers recovered not only plastic bottles, cans and other "typical" litter, but items that included engagement rings, 1980's Nikon film cameras, entire lamp-posts, "no littering" signs, massive pieces of broken down boats and engine blocks, lost wallets, phones, and more.

Clean Up The Lake is excited to announce that they will be performing clean-ups across four lakes this year, beginning as soon as next week.