Sacramento, California – Three of California’s most recognizable lakes could hardly look more different. Lake Tahoe is known for its clear alpine water, the Salton Sea for its desert setting and unusual ecology, and Clear Lake for its deep cultural and environmental importance.
Yet all three are tied together by the same urgent question: what will it take to protect them for the people, wildlife and communities that depend on them?
The California Natural Resources Agency will bring that question into focus during its next Secretary Speaker Series event on Wednesday, July 22, from noon to 1 p.m. PDT. The online discussion will examine restoration work already underway, the partnerships supporting that work and the challenges that remain.
California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot will lead the conversation with officials, advocates and community leaders whose work touches the three lake regions. The agency says the event is intended to highlight both the distinct needs of each lake and the broader lessons that can be shared across California.
Lake Tahoe’s famously transparent water has made it an international symbol of environmental stewardship, but protecting that clarity requires long-term coordination among agencies, scientists, local communities and nonprofit groups. Jason Vasques, executive director of the California Tahoe Conservancy, and Darcie Goodman Collins, PhD, chief executive officer of Keep Tahoe Blue, will join the panel to discuss that work.
The Salton Sea presents a very different set of conditions. As California’s largest inland lake changes, state agencies and nearby communities continue working on environmental, public health and habitat concerns. Panelists representing that effort will include Joe Shea, the agency’s assistant deputy secretary for the Salton Sea, and Silvia Paz, founder and executive director of Alianza Coachella Valley.
Clear Lake will also be part of the statewide discussion, with attention to Tribal leadership and the generations of knowledge connected to the lake. Geneva E. B. Thompson, deputy secretary for Tribal Affairs at the California Natural Resources Agency, and Eddie Crandell Sr., vice chairman of Robinson Rancheria, are scheduled to participate.
Together, the speakers are expected to explore how government agencies, Tribal nations, environmental organizations and local residents can build lasting solutions. The conversation will also look ahead at what additional support may be needed to help the lakes remain resilient.
The virtual event is open to people interested in California’s water, wildlife, restoration projects and community partnerships. Registration information is available through the California Natural Resources Agency.
For three lakes shaped by different landscapes and different pressures, the July 22 event offers one shared space to consider their future—and the responsibility of protecting places that cannot be replaced.