Lake Tahoe is known for being blue, but lately it has been yellow along the shores.
Large amounts of pollen have discolored the water on both the north and south shores of the lake.
A local allergy doctor says an increase in pine pollen is to blame.
<dr. reece jones, md: "Pollens are really up right now, especially pine pollen,” says Dr. Reece Jones, MD. “That's our big tree pollen at the lake at the moment."
Year over year, Dr. Jones says we're still at about average pollen levels. But day to day, an invisible force is causing fluctuations.
“The wind will really stir up those pollen levels, so on a day-to-day basis, it will fluctuate,” he says. “But year over year I would suspect we're about average here."
People visiting Lake Tahoe are a little bit curious about what's going on with the pollen, but they say they're not super concerned about it just yet.
Marcia Jaffe has visited Tahoe several times over the years.
This time around, the pollen seems to have followed her everywhere she goes.
"It's everywhere,” she says, “like by this tree, you know, by our room that we're staying in. It's pretty much everywhere. We were at a restaurant. It was blowing."
But so far, the pollen has remained confined to the shores.
“Well, it's still blue out by the water,” Jaffe says. “It's just around the trees, you know. And it's sort of in the area where you shop; it's sort of blowing. So, we keep doing it. I mean, it doesn't make me want to leave Tahoe."
Even though the pollen continues to discolor Tahoe around the shores, the middle of the lake remains clear, and the pollen shouldn't have any negative impacts.
“I do think with the warming temperatures that we'll see, we'll see some changes in the lake. But I think overall the pollen wouldn't be the main driver in that,” Dr. Jones says.
With the spike in pollen at the lake, make sure you bring allergy medicine with you just in case. And if you live in the area, there are steps you can take to keep the yellow dust out of your home.
“Trying not to, if you can help it, sleep with the windows open, you know; keep air conditioning or a fan inside rather than leaving the windows open,” he says. “That will decrease the pollen settling in the house."
People on the north shore near Tahoe City say that the pollen was a lot worse a few days ago, and the worst of it is behind us as that pollen starts to dissipate quite a bit more.
