Fallen Leaf Lake becomes a study about past droughts
By Carlos Alcalá, Sacramento Bee
Vacationers skim the surface of Fallen Leaf Lake on water skis or kayaks, oblivious that scientists are investigating the depths for signs of natural disasters to come.
Last week, scientists began crisscrossing the lake with a $450,000, state-of-the-art sonar tool that will map the lake bed in unprecedented detail.
What's beneath Fallen Leaf Lake is of interest to scientists. Photo/Kathryn Reed
They’re looking for two things:
• Subsurface seismic faults that could bode earthquakes and even tsunamis for the Tahoe region.
• Ancient trees along the outer edges of the lake bottom that are evidence that the region is subject to recurring 200-year droughts of catastrophic proportions.
