Nevada Water Science Center
Funding support for the Lake Tahoe Hydromapper by U.S Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU)

USGS Science in the Lake Tahoe Basin

Lake Tahoe Interagency Monitoring Program

The Lake Tahoe Interagency Monitoring Program (LTIMP) was started in 1979 to help understand why clarity was declining in Lake Tahoe. Currently, LTIMP stream monitoring is a partnership between USGS, U.C. Davis, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, Lahontan Regional Water-Quality Control Board, and the California Tahoe Conservancy.

Streamflow and water-quality samples are being collected at pertinent Lake Tahoe tributaries to estimate nutrient and sediment loads to the lake and assess trends in stream water quality. Streamflow and stage are measured at 9 gages in 8 basins within the Lake Tahoe watershed and water quality is monitored at 7 sites in 7 basins. Turbidity is monitored continuously at 5 of the water-quality sites.

Water-quality samples are collected during routine visits, storm events, and snow-melt runoff. Samples collected are analyzed for nitrogen, phosphorus, suspended sediment, and fine sediment at the laboratory, as well as for temperature, specific conductance, pH, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity in the stream.

Current LTIMP Sites

Channel length and distance from mouth are approximate and are taken from U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 02-4030. Click on the Site ID for more information.

USGS Site ID USGS Site Name Altitude Channel Length County Distance from Mouth Drainage Area
Feet above sea level Miles Miles Square miles
10336610 Upper Truckee River at South Lake Tahoe, CA 6,230 19.7 El Dorado 1.7 54
10336645 General Creek Near Meeks Bay, CA 6,250 9.13 El Dorado 0 7.4
10336660 Blackwood Creek near Tahoe City CA 6,240 6.12 Placer 0.1 11.1
10336676 Ward Creek at Hwy 89 near Tahoe Pines CA 6,230 5.65 Placer 0.3 9.7
10336698 Third Creek Near Crystal Bay, NV 6,240 6.92 Washoe 0.1 6
10336700 Incline Creek Near Crystal Bay, NV 6,240 4.49 Washoe 0.2 6.7
10336780 Trout Creek near Tahoe Valley, CA 6,240 9.45 El Dorado 2.8 36.7

Data Available for Current Sites

Dates listed below are linked to data available from NWIS. NC, not collected.

USGS Site ID Inorganics, Major Inorganics, Minor Nutrients Organics Physical Sediment
Metals Non-Metals Metals Non-metals
10336610 1970-1994 1970-2020 1998-2007 1988-2007 1970-2020 1992-1998 1970-2020 1971-2020
10336645 NC 1983-2019 1989-2002 NC 1983-2019 1998 1981-2019 1981-2019
10336660 NC 1983-2019 1989-2002 NC 1983-2019 1998 1973-2019 1973-2019
10336676 NC 1983-2019 1989-2002 NC 1983-2019 NC 1972-2019 1972-2019
10336698 1978 1971-2019 1978-2002 1978 1969-2019 1971-1973 1969-2019 1969-2019
10336700 1978-1988 1970-2019 1978-2002 1978-1988 1969-2019 1972-1998 1969-2019 1969-2019
10336780 NC 1983-2020 1989-2002 NC 1983-2020 NC 1973-2020 1973-2019

Former LTIMP Sites

Channel length and distance from mouth are approximate and are taken from U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 02-4030. Click on the Site ID for more information.

USGS Site ID USGS Site Name Altitude Channel Length County Distance from Mouth Drainage Area
Feet above sea level Miles Miles Square miles
10336580 Upper Truckee River at S Upper Truckee Rd Near Meyers 6,490 4 El Dorado 17.4 14.2
103366092 Upper Truckee River at Hwy 50 Above Meyers, CA 6,310 12 El Dorado 9.4 39.3
103366094 Upper Truckee River Trib at N Upper Truckee Road Near Myers 6,380 El Dorado
103366098 Upper Truckee River at Hwy 50 Bridge Below Meyers, CA 6,260 16 El Dorado 5.4 50.1
10336674 Ward Creek Below Confluence Near Tahoe City, CA 6,600 2.4 Placer 3.5 5
10336675 Ward Creek at Stanford Rock Trail Crossing Near Tahoe City, CA 6,450 4.4 Placer 1.5 9
10336688 First Creek Near Crystal Bay, NV 6,280 2.26 Washoe 0.1 1.1
103366905 W Fork Second Creek at Lakeshore Drive Near Crystal Bay 6,270 Washoe
10336691 Second Creek at Lakeshore Dr Near Crystal Bay, NV 6,280 3.02 Washoe 0 1.3
10336692 Wood Creek Above Jennifer St Near Incline Village, NV 6,880 2.25 Washoe 1.7 1.3
10336694 Wood Creek at Mouth Near Crystal Bay, NV 6,250 3.94 Washoe 0 2
103366958 Third Creek Below Unnamed Trib Near Incline Village, NV 7,350 4.01 Washoe 3 4.3
103366965 Third Creek at Village Blvd at Incline Village, NV 6,720 5.21 Washoe 1.8 4.5
103366974 Rosewood Creek Below Hwy 28 at Incline Village, NV 6,340 Washoe
103366993 Incline Creek Above Tyrol Village Near Incline Village, NV 6,920 2.8 Washoe 1.9 2.9
103366995 Incline Creek at Hwy 28 at Incline Village, NV 6,330 3.8 Washoe 0.9 4.5
103366997 Incline Creek Trib at Country Club Dr Near Incline 6,760 1.2 Washoe 1.8 1
10336725 Glenbrook Creek at Old Hwy 50 Near Glenbrook, NV 6,320 3.44 Douglas 0.5 3.8
10336730 Glenbrook Creek at Glenbrook, NV 6,240 3.83 Douglas 0.1 4.1
10336735 North Logan House Creek at Hwy 50 Near Glenbrook, NV 6,410 1.7 Douglas 0.1 1.1
10336740 Logan House Creek Near Glenbrook, NV 6,640 3 Douglas 0.3 2.1
10336748 Burke Creek Above Mouth Near Stateline, NV 6,230 Douglas 4.5
10336750 Edgewood Creek Below S Benjamin Dr Near Daggett Pass, NV 7,160 1.77 Douglas 3.8 0.7
10336756 Edgewood Creek Tributary Near Daggett Pass, NV 7,000 1.4 Douglas 1.1 0.8
103367585 Edgewood Creek at Palisade Drive Near Kingsbury, NV 6,640 3.9 Douglas 1.6 3.1
103367592 Eagle Rock Creek Near Stateline, NV 6,480 1.2 Douglas 0.3 0.6
10336760 Edgewood Creek at Stateline, NV 6,280 4.67 Douglas 0.9 5.6
10336761 Edgewood Creek Below Highway 50 Near Stateline, NV Douglas
10336765 Edgewood Creek at Lake Tahoe Near Stateline, NV 6,240 5.52 Douglas 0 6.6
10336770 Trout Creek at USFS Rd 12N01 Near Meyers, CA 6,850 3 El Dorado 9.2 7.4
10336775 Trout Creek at Pioneer Trail Near South Lake Tahoe, CA 6,270 8.1 El Dorado 4.1 23.7
10336779 Cold Creek at Mouth Near South Lake Tahoe, Calif. 6,260 El Dorado
10336790 Trout Creek at South Lake Tahoe, CA 6,240 10.7 El Dorado 1.5 40.4
10337500 Truckee River at Tahoe City, CA 6,217 Placer 507
385758119561101 Culvert into Edgewood Creek Above Hwy. 50 at Stateline, NV 6,300 Douglas
385758119564401 Edgewood Creek Tributary Above Edgewood Clubhouse Near Stateline 6,230 1.8 Douglas 0.2 0.5

Data Available for Former Sites

Dates listed below are linked to data available from NWIS. NC, not collected.

USGS Site ID Inorganics, Major Inorganics, Minor Nutrients Organics Physical Sediment
Metals Non-Metals Metals Non-metals
10336580 NC 1989-2011 1989-2007 NC 1989-2011 NC 1989-2011 1989-2011
103366092 NC 1989-2011 1989-2007 NC 1989-2011 NC 1989-2011 1989-2011
103366094 NC 1989 1996 NC 1996 NC 1989-2001 1989
103366098 NC 1989 NC NC NC NC 1989-2001 1989
10336674 NC 2002-2009 1992-2011 NC 1992-2011 NC 1991-2011 1991-2011
10336675 NC 1989-2002 1991-2002 NC 1991-2002 NC 1989-2002 1989-2002
10336688 NC 1991-2002 1981-2002 NC 1979-2002 NC 1969-2002 1969-2002
103366905 NC NC 1995-2000 NC 1995-2000 NC 1995-2000 1996-2000
10336691 NC 1991-2000 1991-2000 NC 1991-2000 NC 1991-2000 1991-2000
10336692 NC 1991-2001 1991-2001 NC 1991-2001 NC 1991-2001 1991-2001
10336694 NC 1991-2002 1991-2002 NC 1991-2002 NC 1991-2002 1991-2002
103366958 NC 1989-2001 1991-2001 NC 1991-2001 NC 1989-2001 1989-2001
103366965 NC 1989-2000 1991-2000 NC 1991-2000 NC 1989-2000 1989-2000
103366974 NC 2001-2003 2001-2002 NC 2001-2003 NC 2001-2003 2001-2003
103366993 NC 1989-2011 1989-2002 NC 1989-2011 NC 1989-2011 1989-2011
103366995 NC 1989-2006 1989-2002 NC 1989-2006 NC 1989-2006 1989-2006
103366997 NC 1989-2002 1991-2002 NC 1991-2002 NC 1989-2002 1989-2002
10336725 NC 1989-2000 1991-2000 NC 1991-2000 NC 1989-2000 1989-2000
10336730 1987 1972-2011 1987-2002 NC 1972-2011 1972-1998 1971-2011 1971-2011
10336735 NC 1991-2002 1991-2002 NC 1991-2002 NC 1991-2002 1991-2002
10336740 NC 1987-2011 1987-2002 NC 1987-2011 NC 1983-2011 1983-2011
10336748 NC 2001-2002 2001-2002 NC 2001-2002 NC 2001-2002 2001-2002
10336750 NC 1989-2002 1991-2002 NC 1991-2002 NC 1989-2002 1989-2002
10336756 NC 1982-2001 1981-2001 NC 1981-2001 NC 1981-2001 1981-2001
103367585 NC 1989-2002 1989-2002 NC 1989-2002 NC 1989-2002 1989-2002
103367592 NC 1989-2011 1989-2011 NC 1989-2011 NC 1989-2011 1989-2011
10336760 NC 1992-2011 1992-2002 NC 1992-2011 NC 1992-2015 1992-2011
10336761 NC 1984-1992 1984-1992 NC 1984-1992 NC 1984-1992 1984-1992
10336765 NC 1984-2002 1984-2002 NC 1984-2002 NC 1984-2002 1984-2002
10336770 NC 1989-2011 1989-2003 NC 1989-2011 NC 1989-2011 1989-2011
10336775 NC 1989-2011 1989-2003 NC 1989-2011 NC 1989-2011 1989-2011
10336779 NC 2003 2003 NC 2003 2003 1996-2003 2003
10336790 NC 1989-2019 1990-2003 NC 1991-2019 NC 1972-2019 1972-2019
10337500 1978-1980 1978-2011 1978-2002 1978-1980 1978-2011 1978-1980 1978-2013 2000-2011
385758119561101 NC 1995-1998 1995-2000 NC 1995-2000 NC 1995-2000 1996-2000
385758119564401 NC 1992 1992-1999 NC 1992-1999 NC 1992-1999 1992-1999