Senator Adam Schiff (D-California) joined researchers from the Tahoe Environmental Research Center (TERC) at UC Davis for a tour of Lake Tahoe aboard the research vessel John LeConte. The trip, which took place on August 5, was intended to familiarize Schiff with both the lake’s ecosystem and UC Davis’ ongoing efforts to monitor its health.
The John LeConte, built in 1976 and named after a prominent UC physicist, has long served as a mobile laboratory for TERC. Over the years, it has hosted students, scientists, and public officials—including former President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore. However, TERC officials report that the vessel is nearing the end of its operational life due to hull degradation and aging equipment. The boat’s pulley-and-cable system used for water measurements now requires frequent repairs, and its diesel engine is considered slow for modern research needs.
Onboard instrumentation includes an electric glider on loan from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This device collects underwater data alongside various sensors that measure conditions deep below the surface. Researchers also use nets to sample zooplankton populations—a key indicator of lake health.
During his visit, Schiff observed these monitoring activities firsthand. He had previously requested $1.95 million in federal funding to replace the aging vessel; however, this earmark did not pass during recent appropriations discussions. University officials plan to seek funding again next year.
Stephanie Hampton, who became director of TERC earlier this year, emphasized the boat’s role in monitoring critical factors such as invasive species presence, plankton levels, dissolved oxygen content, salinity, algae growth, water clarity and temperature—data that inform policy decisions across the Tahoe Basin. Recently TERC researchers have worked with partners at the Desert Research Institute to study airborne microplastics entering Lake Tahoe.
Chancellor Gary S. May participated in the demonstration tour alongside Schiff and other university leaders. May highlighted UC Davis’ decades-long commitment to Lake Tahoe research: “We think it’s important for science to inform policy,” May said. “We’re providing the science and the data to make good policy.”
After returning from the tour in Tahoe City, Schiff described UC Davis’ research as essential for protecting what he called an “ecological treasure.” He noted ongoing concerns about declining water clarity despite continued conservation efforts: “Even with all of the best efforts going on, we’re still seeing a negative trend with the clarity of the water,” he said. “We’re hoping to bend the curve and make it better.”
