The appearance of heavy attached algae growths in the nearshore of Lake Tahoe is a fairly recent development that has become highly noticeable since the mid-20th century. The thick mats of green, brown and yellow growths are largely the result of influx of human-caused nutrients from nearby tributaries, storm drains and groundwater. The nutrients are circulated along the shoreline by wind-driven and density currents that bring these nutrients to the stationary algae. The abundant nutrients in combination of readily available sunlight in the shallow water and human-caused warming of the nearshore waters create ideal conditions for attached algae to flourish.
Fact credit: TahoeFacts.com