Check out our current projects, upcoming events, and local fundraisers
Search for Downed Plane
Status: Planned
Category: Search and Recovery
This project is a systematic underwater search to locate a missing aircraft believed to be submerged within Lake Tahoe. Using sonar mapping and ROV-based visual surveys, the team is working to identify potential targets across deep-water areas. The effort includes reviewing historical records and coordinating with relevant authorities to guide the search. Locating the aircraft would help resolve long-standing questions while ensuring any associated debris or hazards are properly documented.
Volunteer Scuba/Free Dive Program
Status: In Progress
Category: Environmental Restoration
We deploy scuba divers on missions to restore Lake Tahoe in deeper water, in addition to ROVs. But, to make volunteering more accessible to the general public, our Director of Programs, Ryan Incerpi, had the brilliant idea of recruiting strong swimmers in the community to come on our boat with flippers and a mask, and free dive for trash with us in shallow and high traffic areas. To reduce exhaustion among swimmers, volunteers could also transport debris on kayak or paddle board between free divers and the work boat.
Explore Our Mission Field Map
Discover where Restoring the Lake Depths Foundation is making an impact! Our interactive Mission Field Map allows you to explore locations throughout Lake Tahoe where our team conducts underwater cleanups, surveys, research, and other missions using scuba divers and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs). Click on map markers to learn more about individual sites, or filter by mission type and objective to explore our work beneath the surface.
Explore the map and see our restoration efforts in action!
Status: In Progress
Category: Environmental Monitoring and Reporting
Past Projects
Michael J. Fox Foundation Swim
Status: Annual
Category: Community Philanthropy
Annual End-of-Summer Shoreline Community Beach Cleanup
Status: Annual
Category: Community Engagement
Community members and tourists join us at Nevada Beach in Zephyr Cove, a popular beach all summer long for our annual shoreline community beach cleanup. Using trash grabbers and gloves, volunteers pick up trash along the shoreline and spread the stewardship messaging of our mission to people recreating on the beach. The first of this annual end-of-summer beach cleanup was on September 7, 2025. Every year, it will be the Sunday the weekend after Labor Day. To thank our amazing volunteers, in 2025, Tahoe Bagel Company was kind enough to donate a bagel and coffee breakfast. In 2026, Slice Shack donated pizza to our volunteers.
AT&T Lead Cable Survey, November 2024
This project involved an underwater survey to locate and document legacy lead-sheathed communication cables associated with AT&T infrastructure. Using sonar and ROV inspections, the team assessed cable locations, depth, and surrounding conditions to support environmental risk evaluation. The survey provided visual documentation and geospatial data to assist stakeholders in understanding potential environmental impacts. Findings contributed to broader efforts focused on transparency and long-term lake stewardship.
Status: Completed
Category: Environmental Survey & Assessment
Edgewood Resort Pipe Inspection, September 2025
Status: Completed
Category: Infrastructure Inspection
This project conducted a detailed underwater inspection of submerged piping infrastructure near Edgewood Tahoe Resort. ROV-based video surveys were used to assess pipe condition, alignment, and surrounding lakebed features without disturbing the environment. The inspection supported maintenance planning and verified the integrity of underwater infrastructure. Results helped reduce uncertainty while minimizing the need for invasive inspection methods.
Deep Dive Live Stream with Tahoe Fund, September 2025
Status: Completed
Category: Education & Public Outreach
In partnership with Tahoe Fund, this project delivered a live underwater video stream from the deepest point in Lake Tahoe. Using the flagship ROV equipped with high-definition cameras, viewers were able to observe the lakebed in real time while learning about deep-lake conditions. The event combined technology, education, and conservation storytelling to engage the public. It helped raise awareness about Lake Tahoe’s depth, clarity, and ongoing preservation efforts.
Emerald Bay Lakebed Clean Up, April-October 2025
Status: Completed
Category: Environmental Restoration
This project focuses on identifying and removing submerged debris from the lakebed of Emerald Bay using remotely operated vehicles along side high altitude dry suit divers. Operations target deep and hard-to-reach areas where traditional cleanup methods are not possible. By documenting and recovering debris, the project helps protect sensitive underwater habitats and preserve Lake Tahoe’s water clarity. Collected data also supports long-term environmental monitoring and future restoration efforts.
Future Projects
Summer Environmental Education and Outreach, June-August 2026
Status: Completed
Category: Education & Public Outreach
In partnership with Sugar Bowl Ski Resort Adventure Camp and Zephyr Point Outdoor Summer Camp, our Intern from Bryn Mawr University, Anastasia Andreeva, reached K-8 youth and their families by executing environmental education programs in water quality, stewardship, and robotics, all of which are relevant to our mission. She was even able to get "no littering" signs created by youth posted at local high-traffic beaches in the Tahoe Basin.
DL Bliss
Status: Planning
Category: Environmental Restoration
*Update coming soon*