The UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center says thanks to dry conditions that turned to stormy weather in 2017, Lake Tahoe is now experiencing record level low water clarity. Scientists say the drought followed by lots of snow and rain into the warmed waters of the lake coupled to generate the worst clarity levels they’ve ever seen. The average annual clarity level for 2017 was 59.7 feet. This was a 9.5-foot decrease from the previous year, surpassing the previous lowest level ever recorded of 64.1 feet in 1997.