New USGS webcam offers live views of the Truckee River near Lake Tahoe

Anglers, rafters, scientists and other river enthusiasts can now get live and interactive views of the Truckee River in Tahoe City, Calif., on their web browser, thanks to a new webcam installed and operated by the U.S. Geological Survey’s California Water Science Center.

The camera -- which can be accessed by clicking here -- provides a live panoramic view of the river near the Lake Tahoe Dam and Highway 89. Those interested in current river conditions can pan the riverscape or zoom in on a particular point of interest. The camera will operate 24 hours a day, year-round.

The webcam is located next to a USGS stream-gaging station approximately 500 feet downstream of the lake. Nearby are a bike path along the river, put-in spots for legions of summertime rafters, and the famous “Fanny Bridge” where Highway 89 crosses the river – where people lean over the railing to view the river and its giant trout.

“We intend to install more webcams near our gages along major California rivers and streams,” said Michael V. Shulters, director of the California Water Science Center. “The webcams provide immediate and visible evidence of stream flow and other conditions, and are a valuable supplement to our stream-gage data. They are another example of the USGS providing science in the public interest.”

The dam operates the lake's upper 6.1 feet and regulates the amount of water released into the river. The gaging station continually monitors outflow from the lake, plus precipitation, air temperature, water temperature and specific conductance.

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USGS provides science for a changing world.

The U.S. Geological Survey's California Water Science Center (http://ca.water.usgs.gov/) operates project offices in Sacramento and San Diego where more than 130 scientists bring a broad range of disciplines to modern water-management issues. The center also has nine field offices where scientists and technicians gather hydrologic data on California's surface-water and ground-water resources.