Report: Lake Tahoe water temperature up, clarity down

LAKE TAHOE, Calif. (KGO) -- A new report shows Lake Tahoe had a record-setting year last year and not in a good way - water temperature is up and clarity is down.

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The Tahoe Environmental Research Center reports the lake's average temperature rose almost half a degree last year, which is the fastest rate ever recorded.

Precipitation was about average, but only 6.5 percent fell as snow, which is the lowest ever recorded.

The conditions led to a decline in Tahoe's famous water clarity, which had been improving since the 1990s.

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Environmentalists say the bad news comes as public funding to restore and protect the lake is disappearing.

"So working with the private industry and forming partnerships to push those improvements is necessary," said Darcie Goodman Collins with League to Save Lake Tahoe.

The report also found the air temperature at lake level only dropped below freezing 24 days last year, which is another record.

Click here to read the full report.