Lampposts, rings, cameras: over 25,000 pounds of junk cleared from Lake Tahoe

A California non-profit started an ambitious project beneath the surface of Lake Tahoe that concluded Tuesday: hire scuba divers to gather the litter in the top 25 ft of the lake.

His team of volunteers started doing surveys, and they found more than 50lb of trash a diver each time they went out. They later launched the 72 Mile project to clean up the lake. The divers are supported by boats and jet skis. On any given day, the non-profit organizes 10 people on the water. They have completed 189 dives in 81 days.

Some of the garbage will be used to create a new art installation at a nearby events center.

In the future, the project plans to expand to three other lakes, including June Lake in the Mammoth Lakes region and Fallen Leaf Lake in the Tahoe basin. Divers will also be collecting data on invasive species and algae blooms while in the water.

They also want to monitor the situation after the cleanup to determine if it has changed for the better, or if it is back to the junk. West wants to see increased litter prevention signs, trash receptacles, and education.