Additional studies may be needed to save Lake Tahoe

A committee has been looking at the issue for three months. On Wednesday, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency governing board will decide whether additional study is needed.

"If they find the issue is not significant, I'm sure the item will go away," said Larry Sevison, board chairman. "If they feel it is significant, we'll have to find the money to fund more studies."

In September, a group of environmentalists, property owners and others petitioned Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt to consider lowering Tahoe's water level until more is known about how shoreline erosion pollutes the lake.

"The erosion is so evident to the people that live along the shoreline that it's frankly getting to be the straw that's breaking the camel's back," said Gregg Lien, a lawyer for property owners.

Downstream users, including Sierra Pacific Power Co., the Truckee-Carson Irrigation District and Washoe County, oppose lowering the lake level out of fear it would reduce water supplies.

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