Geologists Raise Tsunami Hazard in Lake Tahoe, How Dangerous Is It?

Over the last several weeks there have been frequent earthquakes across Northern California and this has aroused questions about natural disasters in the future.

The Earthquake

Steve Bohlen, California Geological Survey geologist says the region has encountered quakes recently in speedy succession. Bohlen observed to CBS Sacramento: "Right now we happen to be in a bit of an active period."

A 3.8-magnitude earthquake hit the center of Lake Tahoe at the end of April, accompanied by a 4.7-magnitude earthquake in Truckee, California that was noticed from Sacramento all the way to Reno. Bohlen says the lake "owes its being to faults."

Ryan Callahan, who was present at the Tourist Club in Truckee when the quake occurred said: "That was the greatest one I felt since I was out at the club, some lights and stuff were swinging. Something fell off the wall." Seismologists keeping tracking of the activity say there's another, unusual threat too.

Also Read: Ancient Tsunami Struck the Falkland Islands, Scientists Speculate

Tsunami-like Wave

Bohlen, who gave an explanation that a magnitude-7 earthquake emerging from the lake, though unlikely, could bring about tsunami-like waves revealed there is a tsunami hazard close to Lake Tahoe. He said it would be a remarkable emergency response attempt in the Tahoe area if a magnitude-7 were to take place.

He also said If you feel an earthquake for a prolonged period of time, you really ought to have thoughts of changing your position to higher ground as fast as possible. Bohlen says tsunamis aren't worth selling your lakefront house, but he urges people to get ready. "Californians should own a safety kit containing water, food...have a family plan of how to stay together...when their means of communication are down," he said.

Shake Alert - an early warning system could give valuable extra seconds when an earthquake takes place. Lake Tahoe is an instance of a lake that is at risk of having a tsunami because of faulting processes.

Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe in Nevada USA and California lies within an intermountain basin surrounded by faults, with majority of these faults at the bottom of the lake or conceal in glaciofluvial deposits.

Lake Tahoe has had many ancient eruptions and in lake bottom sediments studies, a 10m high scarp has led to the displacement of the lake bottom sediments, showing that the water was displaced by a similar magnitude, and also generating a tsunami. A tsunami and seiche in Lake Tahoe can be handled as shallow-water long waves as the highest water depth is much smaller than the wavelength.

This reveals the fascinating impact that lakes have on the tsunami wave features, as it is very distinct from ocean tsunami wave features because of the ocean being deeper, and lakes being nearly shallow in comparison. Ocean tsunami waves amplitudes only rise when the tsunami gets near to shore, in lake tsunami waves are produced and they stay in an environment that is not deep.

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