For years, a hidden hazard lay beneath the surface of Lake Tahoe—eight miles of old, lead-covered telecommunication cables. But thanks to a major cleanup effort, those cables are now history. AT&T, along with environmental organizations and dedicated workers, recently wrapped up a massive project to remove more than 75 tons of these abandoned cables, which had been sitting at the bottom of the lake since they were first installed nearly a century ago.
“This is a big win for Lake Tahoe,” said Jesse Patterson from the League to Save Lake Tahoe, an organization devoted to protecting the lake’s stunning beauty and health. “AT&T really stepped up to help the environment, and we’re proud to have been part of this effort to keep Tahoe as beautiful and blue as ever.”
The removal process, which ran from November 1 to November 17, was no small feat. Wisconsin-based marine construction company J.F. Brennan led the charge, using barges and specialized equipment to haul the heavy cables out of the water. Scuba divers worked alongside an underwater remote-controlled vehicle to cut the cables into smaller pieces, making them easier to transport. More than a dozen workers put in 12-hour days, seven days a week, braving tough weather conditions to get the job done.
Throughout the process, the League to Save Lake Tahoe stayed on-site to ensure the project was handled carefully, keeping the lake’s ecosystem intact.
The story of these cables stretches back to 1929, when they were installed to provide telecommunication services by Pacific Power. For decades, they lay unnoticed in the lake’s southwest corner near Emerald and Rubicon Bays. It wasn’t until 2020 that the League to Save Lake Tahoe learned about the cables, thanks to a tip from another nonprofit, Below the Blue, which focuses on removing debris from waterways.
The road to removal wasn’t smooth. In 2021, AT&T agreed to take out the cables as part of a lawsuit settlement. The California Sportfishing Protection Alliance had accused the cables of contaminating the lake with lead and posing a risk to the surrounding environment. While studies have been conducted to assess whether the cables caused any lasting damage, the League to Save Lake Tahoe has not yet received full results. In the meantime, their priority was clear: get the cables out, and do it safely.
“We couldn’t wait for every study to come in,” said Laura Patten, Natural Resource Director for the League to Save Lake Tahoe. “The most important thing was to act quickly and carefully to protect this lake.”
Even though the underwater cables are gone, the work isn’t over yet. More old telecommunication cables remain on land near Lake Tahoe, and plans are already in place to remove them in the spring.
For now, the removal of the underwater cables marks a significant step forward in preserving one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. And it’s all thanks to teamwork, persistence, and a shared commitment to keeping Tahoe blue for generations to come.