WELCOME to the Lake Tahoe Basin web page of the California Department of Transportation.

Known to many as the "Jewel of the Sierra", Lake Tahoe is one of the three clearest alpine lakes in the world. Studies have shown that since 1968, the "Jewel" has lost 30 feet of that legendary clarity. Something had to be done to protect one of world's most pristine lakes. On July 26, 1997, President Bill Clinton issued Executive Order 13057 and declared the Lake Tahoe Region an "area of national concern." That order created a federal partnership involving five cabinet-level agencies, and called for a Memorandum of Agreement between the Federal Partnership, the States of California and Nevada, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) and the Washoe Tribal Government. The following year TRPA adopted the 1,000-project, $908 million Environmental Improvement Program for the Lake Tahoe Basin designed at protecting this valuable treasure. Since State Highways ring Lake Tahoe's shores, roadside projects aimed at improving water quality are an important component of this comprehensive effort. Please explore the pages of this web site to find out more about the California Department of Transportation's ongoing efforts to help protect and restore Lake Tahoe.