Steven Sadro Content

What Does A Record-Breaking Wildfire Season Mean For Life in Alpine Lakes?

Katherine E Kerlin — April 21, 2026 - 10:39am

In the summer of 2020, MJ Farruggia embarked on the first field season of her PhD research. With a backpack full of scientific equipment and camping gear, she hiked high into the Emerald Lake Watershed high in the Sierra Nevada Mountains to install environmental sensors and collect water samples from six small lakes and ponds.

How California’s State and Federal Water Projects Can Better Protect Fish

Katherine E Kerlin — November 14, 2025 - 4:32pm

At least two thirds of California's population and more than 4 million acres of California farmland rely on water delivered by the federal Central Valley Project and the State Water Project, two of the largest multipurpose water management projects in the world.

Lake Tahoe Algae Experiment Suggests Seasonal Shifts Ahead

Katherine E Kerlin — October 06, 2025 - 9:06am

As the climate warms and nutrient inputs shift, algal communities in cool, clear mountain lakes like Lake Tahoe will likely experience seasonal changes, according to a study from the University of California, Davis.

Periphyton, that fuzzy layer of attached algae covering the rocks as you step into the water, is a healthy and critical part of a lake’s food web. Periphyton blooms, however, signal changes that can degrade both water quality and a shoreline’s natural beauty.

Wildfire Smoke Reached 99% of U.S. Lakes in 2019-2021

Katherine E Kerlin — June 07, 2024 - 9:00am

Where there's smoke, there's not always fire. Wildfire smoke drifted to nearly every lake in North America for at least one day per year from 2019 to 2021, found a UC Davis study.

Smoke Covered 70% of California During Biggest Wildfire Years

Katherine E Kerlin — May 22, 2024 - 9:32am

As much as 70% of California was covered by wildfire smoke during parts of 2020 and 2021, according to a UC Davis study.