A new scientific research paper published Wednesday morning found that alarming levels of microplastics are lingering in the surface waters of Lake Tahoe.
In a comparative study of 38 freshwater lakes and reservoirs worldwide, Tahoe had the third-highest concentration of microplastics, according to the paper, which was co-authored by a researcher at the University of Nevada, Reno, and published in the journal Nature.
With 5.4 plastic particles per cubic meter, Tahoe is cited as one of three lakes where microplastic concentrations are higher than those found in the notorious ocean gyres of floating garbage. The other two are Lake Maggiore and Lake Lugano, adjacent water bodies spanning the border between Switzerland and Italy.