More than 120 volunteers for the League to Save Lake Tahoe removed 2,260 pounds of trash from six of Tahoe’s most popular beaches on July 5, the day after tens of thousands of people flocked to the lake to enjoy the July 4th festivities.
The debris represented almost 10 cubic yards, or a dump truck full, of trash. It included over 3,000 cigarette butts, 1,200 cans, 800 glass and plastic bottles, and 320 plastic bags. Other cleanup projects also included a 17th annual one by K&K Services.
For 17 years the Curtzwiler family and their business, K & K Services, have spearheaded clean up efforts on July 5th at El Dorado Beach, now known as Lakeview Commons. This year they picked up about 42 yards of garbage from the beach and walkways.
In response to the lawsuit filed after large amounts of fireworks debris was found on the beach at Pinewild last summer, local service clubs, employee groups and other volunteer teams formed by local agencies joined in beach clean up efforts.
Many people were out cleaning beaches on Saturday morning and were joined by boats and jet skis operated by local fire departments and law enforcement. According to Eric Guevin, Tahoe Douglas Fire Marshall, the boats were running a grid pattern off the shore at Edgewood and Nevada beaches. They were using nets and skimmers to pull out any debris.
Beach clean up teams will be working all week on all Lake Tahoe beaches. Saturday's group at Edgewood and Nevada beaches was made up mostly of Harrahs and Harveys employees but many City of South Lake Tahoe volunteers joined in as well.
Guevin said that a lot of things were done this year to make sure fireworks waste was kept to a minimum. "We now have Fireworks Best Management Practices," he said in reference to the local BMPs required of home and business owners (Best Management Practices).
“Tahoe’s beaches were choked with trash. We’re so inspired by the volunteers who came out on their holiday weekend to help,” said the League's Community Engagement Manager Marilee Movius. “When we celebrate July 4th, part of what we’re celebrating is our beautiful country and our pristine lake. The enthusiasm for the lake was contagious the morning after the festivities. As the volunteer crews swept down the beaches, other beachgoers couldn’t resist joining in.”
The League has been hosting regular beach cleanups for over five years. This was the second annual Keep Tahoe Red, White & Blue Beach Cleanup hosted by the League on July 5. This year’s sites included Commons Beach in Tahoe City, Nevada Beach and Zephyr Shoals on the East Shore, and Kiva, Regan and El Dorado beaches on the South Shore for a total of about 3 miles of shoreline.
“The beaches that were cleaned represent less than 5 percent of Tahoe’s total shoreline, so we know a lot more needs to be done,” said Jesse Patterson, the League’s deputy director. “We hope to spread the message that we all have to pack out what we pack in. As we engage more of the Tahoe community in this important issue, we’re hoping that beach cleanups one day won’t be necessary.”
The 120 volunteers came from local communities to Reno, Sacramento, the Bay Area and Southern California.
The League would like to thank the following businesses for sponsoring a cleanup site by providing refreshments and support to the volunteers: The Ridge Tahoe, Lake of the Sky Outfitters, The North Face, Grass Roots Natural Foods, SUP Tahoe, and Willard’s Sport Shop.
— South Tahoe Now's Paula Peterson also contributed to this report.