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Projects

At Clean Up the Lake 501(c)3, we lead both terrestrial and underwater cleanup efforts, collecting critical data to support scientific research and policy development while also running surveillance for aquatic invasive species and reporting observations on algal-blooms for future monitoring. Comprehensive assessments of completed projects are available below, offering detailed insights into our ongoing environmental impact and often providing recommendations for next steps for submerged litter management and aquatic invasive species management.

Truckee Region

Donner-Lake-Deep-Clean

Donner Lake Deep Clean

Project Year: 2024

Deeper dives in Donner Lake found significant litter at 35-55 ft. Using nitrox gas & DPVs, divers will cover more ground safely and efficiently in future cleanups.

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Donner Lake Litter Prevention

Project Years:2023, 2024, 2025

Our team has spent years improving Donner Lake’s environment, progressing through four phases, and now in Phase 5, focusing on litter prevention, education, and awareness efforts

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CA-Pilot-Research

CA Pilot Research

Project Year: 2024

In 2024, we ran a pilot research program at Boca Reservoir and Stampede Reservoir to expand operations across the Sierra Nevada and address recreation impacts.

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donner-lake-from-the-lookout

Donner Lake Monitoring

Project Year: 2022

Our 2nd circumnavigation of Donner Lake, focused on the 0-25 foot zone, and assess data from the 2020 cleanup. Divers explored deeper transects at 45-75 feet to study litter accumulation.

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cleaning-tires-out-of-donner-lake

Donner Lake

Project Year: 2020

We completed a full shoreline cleanup, removing over 5,151 lbs of debris. We also installed signs on 37 public piers to encourage visitors to pack out what they pack in.

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