Lake Tahoe Turning Yellow, But Don’t Worry, It’s Not Pollution

California's spectacular Lake Tahoe is turning an unusual shade of ... yellow.

It's not due to pollution, but to pollen, say experts.

The pine pollen has has been inundating the Lake Tahoe Basin for more than two weeks, turning the lake a mustard yellow and dusting homes, driveways and cars in similar hues, reports SFGate.

Most witnesses say they've never seen so much pine pollen.

“The pollen we’re seeing is remarkable,” said Helen Fillmore, a staff research associate with UC Davis' Tahoe Environmental Research Center.

Center director Geoff Schladow offered a different perspective.

He said everyone he has talked who has lived in the area for 50 years all say it's the "worst they've ever seen."

Pollen shedding by the pines is completely natural; it's just a lot right now. Pollen is more abundant after a wet winter and spring, and winter 2022-23 was among California's wettest.

Fortunately, pine pollen has low levels of a protein that typically triggers allergies, and the pollen grains are large-ish so harder to inhale. But the amounts this year are so great, that it is taking a toll on many snifflers.

All is not natural in Lake Tahoe, however.

The lake may look pristine when it's not peppered with pollen, but a study published last week revealed that it's infused with microplastics.

Researchers discovered that Lake Tahoe has more microplastics in its waters than many hotspots of ocean plastic pollution hotspots, according to the study published in the journal Nature.

Of 38 lakes and reservoirs across 23 countries tested, Tahoe had the third-highest level of plastic pollution, alongside Lake Lugano and Lake Maggiore, both on the Swiss/Italian border.