A collaborative expedition has revealed what lies at the bottom of Lake Tahoe, marking a historic moment in the goal to restore the lake’s pristine splendor. In a unique collaboration between SeaView Systems, Restoring the Lake Depths Foundation (RTLDF) nonprofit, and the Tahoe Fund, a fiber-optically enhanced BlueROV2, nicknamed “Deep Emerald,” was deployed to the lake bottom at a depth of 1,600 feet (490m). Funded by the Tahoe Fund and the Martis Camp Foundation, the dive was live-streamed to over 3,500 captivated viewers.
Technological expertise for the expedition was provided by SeaView Systems. Timothy Crandle, the company’s president, was on hand for the historic dive, noting “We advance ROVs to do various special tasks, as well as provide add-on capabilities that you see on this vehicle today.” By converting a standard ROV to a fiber optic tether, SeaView enabled the vehicle to carry more sensors, dive to deeper depths, and transmit data with higher bandwidth—capabilities essential for fulfilling the mission.
The project is a crucial step for RTLDF, which offers a range of environmental and land management services including survey photography, invasive species identification, and trash removal. In the summer of 2024 RTLDF removed over 13 tons of debris and microplastics from Lake Tahoe. According to the organization’s founder and executive director Lindsay Kopf, previous expeditions have already used tools like a gripper arm and grappling hook to retrieve an estimated 80 tires from Lake Tahoe, highlighting the significant impact of these ongoing efforts.
View one of the many press reports HERE.
View the livestream archive HERE.
For more information on SeaView’s line of value added Blue Robotics vehicles, upgrades, & accessories, see HERE and contact us today to discuss how we can tailor a BlueROV2 package to your needs or upgrade your existing vehicle for added functionality.
