A once lively section of Lake Tahoe’s southern shore, typically brimming with sunbathers, swimmers, and paddle-boarders, has gone suddenly silent due to water contamination.

Federal officials issued an urgent advisory on Friday, cautioning the public to stay out of the water near Camp Richardson Resort after tests revealed ‘high levels’ of E. coli bacteria beneath the lake’s famously clear waters, stemming from a sewage leak.

The US Forest Service’s Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit has issued a warning urging beachgoers, boaters, and swimmers to avoid all recreational water activities between Jameson Beach and the Valhalla Boathouse.

While the bacteria levels at those two endpoints do not yet exceed state standards, the entire area is being treated as a hot zone until further testing proves otherwise.

E. coli is a bacteria most commonly found in the intestines of people and animals.

While many strains are harmless, certain types can cause severe illness, including diarrhea, urinary tract infections, pneumonia, and even life-threatening sepsis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The CDC advises people to never swallow lake water and to wash hands thoroughly after contact with natural water sources, even when no contamination is suspected.

The Lake Tahoe warning underscores how quickly a hidden threat can emerge in one of California’s most popular summer destinations. 

In the wake of the discovery, a coordinated emergency response effort has sprung into action. 

The USDA Forest Service, Camp Richardson Resort, El Dorado County Environmental Management, Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board, and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency are now working in tandem to contain the contamination.

Tests taken east and west of Camp Richardson have so far shown no elevated levels, but officials aren’t taking chances.

With peak summer tourism in full swing, the advisory has left vacationers shocked and local business owners bracing for the fallout.

It’s not Lake Tahoe’s first brush with bacterial contamination. 

Last summer, 125,000-gallons of raw sewage spilled into the waters in front of a popular North Shore restaurant. Authorities were forced to close two beaches as bacteria levels spiked.

That incident led to a months-long investigation, culminating last month in an $850,000 fine levied against Caltrans and the North Tahoe Public Utility District, after officials concluded a contractor accidentally pierced a sewage main.

The latest leak is smaller but equally dangerous. Experts warn that even moderate E. coli exposure can pose serious health risks, particularly to children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems.

Officials say the water will continue to be monitored daily, with additional samples being collected over the weekend. 

Advisory signs will remain posted until test results consistently show safe bacteria levels.