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Lake Tahoe and Nevada
Facts and Figures
Location
Lake Tahoe lies directly on the Nevada/California border, 200
miles northeast of San Francisco, 98 miles northeast of Sacramento,
CA and 58 miles southwest of Reno, NV. As an "interstate navigable
waterway," Lake Tahoe is protected by the U. S. Coast Guard, and
is reputed to be the most desirable Coast Guard duty station in
the world.
Elevation
The average surface of Lake Tahoe is 6,226.95 feet above sea level.
Its natural rim is 6,223 feet above sea level. Mt. Tallac, at 9,735
feet, is the highest peak rising directly from Lake Tahoe's shoreline.
However, the highest point in the Tahoe Basin is Freels Peak at
10,881 feet.
Size
Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake on the North American
continent. It's 22 miles long, 12 miles wide and has a surface area
of 122,628 acres, or 193 square miles.
Volume
The Lake is fed by 63 streams and two hot springs, and contains
an estimated 39.75 trillion gallons or 122 million acre feet of
water. That's enough water to cover the entire state of California
to a depth of 14 inches. Approximately 1.4 million tons of water
evaporate daily, enough to supply the needs of 3.5 million people
daily.
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Depth
Lake Tahoe's average depth is 989 feet. Its deepest point is
1,645 feet, making it the third deepest lake in North America. The
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation controls the top 6.1 feet of the Lake
as a reservoir.
Purity
Lake Tahoe's water is 99.7 percent pure, about the same as distilled
water. It's so clear that an object may be visible at 75 feet below
the surface.
Temperatures
In the winter months and below depths of 700 feet, the water
temperature remains a constant 39 degrees F. and does not freeze
over in winter. During the summer months, the upper 12 feet of the
Lake can warm up to 68 degrees F.
Climate
Although weather in the Sierra can be unpredictable, the sun
shines at Lake Tahoe approximately 274 days per year. Average snowfall
is approximately 18 feet per year. Snow has been recorded in every
month of the year
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State of Nevada
| Did you know . . . .
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Nevada takes it name from a Spanish word meaning snow-clad |
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Nevada has more mountain ranges than any other state with
314 different ranges and peaks |
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Nevada is the largest gold-producing state in the nation. |
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Nevada is the seventh largest state with 110,540 square miles
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| Admission to Statehood: |
October 31, 1864 |
| Bird: |
Mountain Blue Bird |
| State Motto: |
All for our country |
| State Nickname: |
The Silver State |
| Population: |
2,796,450 |
| State Fossil: |
Ichthyosaur |
| State Tree: |
Pinion and Bristlecone Pine |
| State Flower: |
Sagebrush |
| State Song: |
Home means Nevada |
| State Reptile: |
Desert Tortoise |
| State Animal: |
Desert Bighorn Sheep |
| State Fish: |
Lahontan Cutthroat Trout |
| State Gemstone: |
Virgin Valley Black Fire Opal |
| State Colors: |
Blue and Silver |
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