This presentation looks at the tectonic forces that resulted in the creation of Lake Tahoe, it discusses the early explorers of the region (including how they influenced the location of the California – Nevada border), and describes the impact of mining and logging to the lake and its watershed. Finally, it discusses how climate change may affect the lake in the future. Join John Farley a docent (and former software engineer on the Humble Space Telescope) at the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center to explore this interest subject.