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Lakes → California → Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe

California · Natural · near South Lake Tahoe

122,200 acres 1,645 ft deep 70 ft clarity Water A

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6.5SCORE

Survey summary · California

122,200

Surface acres

1,645 ft

Max depth

72 mi

Shoreline

70 ft

Typical clarity

6,225 ft

Elevation

Lake Tahoe covers 122,200 acres in California and drops to 1645 feet at its deepest point. It is a natural lake, which generally means a more stable shoreline and fewer drawdown surprises than an impoundment. Water clarity averages around 70 feet, placing it among the clearer bodies of water in the country. Short-term rental posture: Heavily restricted; permit caps. Confirm at the municipal level before underwriting rental income.

What stands out

Exceptional clarity, roughly 70 ft
Deep water — 1645 ft max
Large open water, 122,200 acres
Boating
Skiing

Watch outs

Short-term rental rules are restrictive — do not assume rental income

Score breakdown

Water 9.4

Recreation 8.1

Value 2.5

Access 6.5

Investment 4.8

Each axis is computed by published formula from this lake's own attributes. How we score.

Water quality grade

Water A

ExcellentClear, low-nutrient water. Typically oligotrophic with high clarity and little seasonal algae.

Water B

GoodHealthy water with moderate clarity. Some seasonal variation, no persistent problems.

Water C

FairProductive water — good fishing, reduced clarity. Algae possible in late summer.

Water D

PoorNutrient-rich or heavily drawn down. Swimmable conditions vary; check before you rely on them.

Computed from measured clarity, trophic state, and drawdown magnitude — not an opinion. See the formula.

Overall score, 1–10

8.0+

ExceptionalStrong on every axis we measure.

7.0–7.9

StrongClearly above average, usually with one standout axis.

6.0–6.9

SolidA good lake with a trade-off worth understanding.

5.0–5.9

MixedReal strengths and real compromises.

Under 5

CompromisedSomething material — volatility, water quality, or access.

Weighted: water 26% · recreation 22% · investment 20% · value 18% · access 14%.

Fishery

Mackinaw troutRainbow troutBrown troutKokanee

On the water

BoatingSkiingHikingBeachesPaddling

Live from LAKE TAHOE A TAHOE CITY CA. This is a lake or reservoir station measuring gage height on this water body — direct sensor readings, not estimates.

8.00 ft

Gage height

2026-08-04

Gauge history

Daily values from USGS. Loading up to one year.

What the drawdown looks like

Full pool vs autumn low · Lake Tahoe

The dock sits at full-pool elevation. At low pool the waterline retreats and the reach to navigable water changes. Scale is illustrative; the 6 ft figure is from published operations for this lake.

Where it is

True shoreline from USGS NHD 498 km²

The outline is this lake's actual boundary from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset, not an approximation — 613 boundary points. Basemap is USGS topographic with contours and hydrography. Switch layers at the top right.

Depth profile

Idealized cross-section. Max depth 1,645 ft, average 526 ft. Depth at a specific dock depends on local bathymetry — verify at the property.

Level behaviour

Level stabilityNatural Typical drawdown6 ft Drawdown seasonAutumn Trophic stateOligotrophic Typical clarity70 ft Water quality gradeA Elevation6,225 ft Managing authorityTRPA

Dock & shoreline

Permitting authorityTahoe Regional Planning Agency Wake / speed rulesNo-wake within 600ft

A dock is never guaranteed. Confirm in writing with Tahoe Regional Planning Agency that the specific parcel is eligible before you remove contingencies.

Short-term rental posture

Heavily restricted; permit caps

Restrictions apply and vary by jurisdiction. Verify at the municipal level before you offer.

Model rental income →

Modeled estimates. Market figures are derived from lake attributes and regional patterns, not from MLS data. Treat them as a starting point, not a comp.

$1,295,000

Median waterfront

$6,186

Per shoreline foot

-3.3%

Year over year

Est. inventory

109

Avg days on market

$496

Est. nightly rate

Rental snapshot

Modeled occupancy64% Booked nights / yr168 Gross revenue$93,147 Net operating income$45,015 Yield on median price3.48%

Open the full model →

What a median-priced home on Lake Tahoe actually costs to carry, with waterfront-specific line items most calculators omit.

$10,177

All-in per month

$293,330

Cash to close + setup

$21,212

Beyond P&I, tax, insurance

Where the annual cost goes

Principal & interest $81,877 (68%) Maintenance reserve (1.1%) $14,245 (12%) Property taxes $13,598 (11%) Hazard insurance $5,439 (5%) Utilities $2,700 (2%) Shoreline / seawall reserve $960 (1%) Dock maintenance $900 (1%) Flood insurance $878 (1%)

Annual carry

Principal & interest	$81,877
Property taxes	$13,598
Hazard insurance	$5,439
Flood insurance	$878
Utilities	$2,700
Maintenance reserve (1.1%)	$14,245
Septic service	$520
Well & water testing	$260
Dock maintenance	$900
Winterization / seasonal close	$750
Shoreline / seawall reserve	$960
Total	$122,126

Model your own numbers →

5.0 / 5 from 1 review

Best family lake we found

Danielle S. · Fall 2025

5/5

We looked at six lakes across three states before choosing this one. Sandy bottom in the swim areas, enough marina services, and it never feels crowded outside July.