Before traveling to Lake Tahoe, please take a few minutes to view this site and become familiar with some of the standards regarding watercraft recreation on the lake.

Engines

Water pollution is an issue across the country and particularly here at Lake Tahoe. Because carbureted, two-stroke engines powering boats and personal watercraft are highly polluting, TRPA set standards that went into effect on June 1, 1999 to allow only the cleaner, direct fuel-injected two-stroke engines to operate on the lakes in the Tahoe Region. Including Lake Tahoe and Emerald Bay, these lakes include Fallen Leaf Lake, Upper and Lower Echo Lakes, and Cascade Lake--which is private. Also within the region are Spooner and Marlette lakes on the eastern rim, but they do not allow watercraft.

(Click here) to go to the current list of approved watercraft engines.

Significant research has been conducted that supports TRPA's regulations. Resource managers around the country have looked to results here to begin their own engine regulation programs. Follow these links to other sites and to documents that show why we chose to ban two-strokes to protect water quality.

(208 Plan--TRPA Water Quality Management Plan for the Tahoe Basin) 25 MB

(Volatile Organic Compounds in Lake Tahoe)
1997, July-September, USGS Website

(Outboard Engine and Personal Watercraft Emissions to Air and Water Study)
2001, California Air Resources Board 5.9 MB

(Environmental Assessment for Prohibition of Certain Two Stroke Engines)
1999, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency 3.94 MB

(MTBE Graph 1999, 2000)

(Environmental Assessment of Hydrocarbons in Lake Tahoe and Donner Lake)
2003, Report to California State Water Resources Control Board 550 KB

(Gas-Related Organics in Lake Tahoe Before and After Two-Stroke Ban)
2004, USGS Study, Lake and Reservoir Magazine, 1.78 MB

Speed and Noise

TRPA also set a 600-foot no-wake zone around the shoreline of Lake Tahoe to minimize the noise impacts of motorized watercraft on residents, visitors and wildlife. Within 600 feet of the shoreline the speed limit is 5 miles per hour. Within all of Emerald Bay, the speed limit is 7 mile per hour.

The TRPA Watercraft Team enforces these standards. The Team operates a patrol boat on the lake seven days a week from April to October each year.

Invasive Species

Watercraft traveling from other waterbodies could potentially be carrying Tahoe's newest threat--aquatic invasive species such as the devastating quagga or zebra mussel. Mandatory boat inspections are being conducted at all public and private boat ramps and launch facilities. Please visit the invasive species page for more information about preventing the spread of aquatic invasive animals and plants and always make sure your boat and trailer or kayak is CLEAN, DRAINED AND DRY.

(Click here) to go to the Aquatic Invasive Species Information page.

Blue Boating & Boat Cleaning

At Tahoe, going green means protecting the blue. Tahoe's pristine, deep blue waters are highly sensitive to human activities and boaters can have a positive impact through the Blue Boating Program. Blue Boating is a boat pollution reduction program being launched by the TRPA in 2010 to offset the impacts of boat engine emissions and other pollutants.

(Click here) to go back to the Blue Boating and Watercraft Inspection page.

But looking beyond engines and bilges, boats on Tahoe should always be clean all over and there are responsible ways to keep them that way.

Only clean the hull and outside of your boat at an appropriate place away from the Lake where drainage is filtered before entering a waterway. Whatever is on the outside of your boat and in your cleaning solution is not something that should go into Lake Tahoe. It may seem like a good idea to simply brush algae and residue off your hull while spending a day moored at beautiful beach, but releasing unwanted algae and invasive plant material at various recreation spots allows the transport of pollutants around the lake. Not only does this cloud Tahoe's waters, but it also further spreads invasive weeds and other organisms around Lake Tahoe. Efforts are underway around Tahoe to eradicate certain species of weeds and casually brushing your hull or dumping stored water could continue to reintroduce them into cleared areas.

And if you are considering using boat cleaners with labels claiming that they are environmentally friendly, you'd better read the recent study by the BoatU.S. Foundation on this topic.

(Click here) to go to the Boat U.S. Foundation report brief.

In essence, labels claiming products are biodegradable, non-toxic or designed for the environment are usually incorrect and can be very harmful to aquatic systems. It is how you use the products that protects the Lake. Either clean your boat away from the lake in a place where drainage is filtered before entering a waterway, or use spay-on cleaners and thoroughly wipe away excess without rinsing.

Legal Watercraft

Engines that meet EPA 2006 Standards:

Personal Watercraft

• ALL Four-Stroke Makes and Models.
• ALL Two-Stroke Direct Fuel Injection makes and models.

Out-board Engines

All Four Stroke Makes

• Honda
• Mercury
• Yamaha
• Johnson
• Suzuki, Etc.

Direct Injected (typically larger outboard engines) such as:
 

• Evinrude E-TEC Direct Injection Engines
• Mercury Opti Max Direct Injection
• Yamaha High Pressure Direct Injection

Inboard Engines

• All four stroke gasoline engines
• All four stroke diesel engines

Personal Watercraft (PWC)

Here is the most current list of authorized personal watercraft for Lake Tahoe as of July 2008:

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This page will be changing as new products are developed and brought to the market.

(Click here)to contact us if you have any questions.