Virtual Guidebook to Lake Tahoe, Northern Sierra, and Mother Lode Gold Country
West Shore of Lake Tahoe
Tahoe City to Emerald Bay, Placer and El Dorado Counties California

The Truckee River flows out of the northeast end of Lake Tahoe, heading north then east into Nevada, where it is used by the city of Reno and agricultural areas. Control gates were built in 1870, allowing the top six feet of the lake to be controlled - a huge amount of water. Modern snow survey techniques were developed by Dr James Church to predict spring runoff from the Tahoe Basin and manage the lake resource to balance the needs of downstream users and lakefront residents.

The west shore of Lake Tahoe is developed almost continuously from the Truckee River outlet to Rubicon Bay, with summer cabins and year-around homes ranging from simple to palatial. Access to the lake is blocked for long stretches, though there are some public parks.