One week after 85,000-gallon sewage spill, Lake Tahoe beach reopens
A week after an untreated sewage spill marred North Lake Tahoe’s tourist season, one of the two popular beaches affected has reopened. The Carnelian West and Patton Landing beaches in Carnelian Bay were initially closed just before sunset on July 18, when a private contractor, working on a Caltrans project, damaged a pipeline belonging to the North Tahoe Public Utility District. As a result, approximately 125,000 gallons of sewage leaked into a nearby parking lot, with around 85,000 gallons reaching the pristine lake.