NOAA: Lake Tahoe Is Nearing Its Natural Rim But Water Storage Is Still Way Below Average

• Lake Tahoe’s water level has been below average since July 2013 (see red highlight above).
• Lake Tahoe’s water level has been below its natural rim since November 2014.  
• Water storage on Tahoe can go as high as 6 feet above the natural rim.

“And now for some perspective on Lake Tahoe nearing its natural rim…

While Lake Tahoe is nearing its natural rim due to an improved wet season, it does not mean the lake storage (which goes as high as 6 feet above the natural rim) is anything to write home about as compared to the last few decades. As the picture shows, lake storage fell below average in the summer of 2013 and below the natural rim in the fall of 2014. We are nearing the rim right now, but that is still well below the average storage since the 1970s” – NOAA Reno, NV today