Lake Tahoe: Microcosm of environmental history

Lake Tahoe can be seen as both a microcosm and a symbol of the American environmental movement. From John C. Fremont's tantalizing glimpse through the mist of a February morning in 1844 to the well-publicized presidential summit in 1997, the Lake has been described as sublime and squalid, enchanting and endangered, resource and resort, wilderness utopia and urban wilderness. As the environmental movement has evolved from preservation to conservation to sustainability to 'deep ecology,' debates about Lake Tahoe have mirrored these frequently conflicting philosophies. This paper illustrates the principal issues in environmental history with examples from Lake Tahoe. I also argue that water clarity as a symbol for the total environment complicates decision-making and management.