Cold water shock a clear danger at Tahoe

An average of seven people succumb to cold water shock and drown at Lake Tahoe every year, according to Take Care Tahoe.

“Cold water shock occurs when the body enters extremely cold water and the muscles lock up, resulting in temporary paralysis,” according to takecaretahoe.org “Cold water shock doesn’t care how fit you are, or how strong of a swimmer you are, Tahoe’s cold waters will paralyze you and you will drown. Period.”

A Genoa man drowned after jumping into Lake Tahoe on July 18, 2022, without a life jacket to untangle a mooring is believed to have had a heart attack in the cold water.

The only Douglas County deputy lost in the line of duty died when he had a heart attack after plunging into Lake Tahoe’s frigid waters on May 24, 1998. Reserve Deputy Ed Callahan fell in 15 feet of water when a dinghy capsized near Zephyr Cove. Through July the temperature of the Lake runs 50-55 degrees.

A new safety education campaign is encouraging those who spend time in Lake Tahoe to wear a life jacket and “think before you sink.”
Envisioned by local Girl Scout and South Lake Tahoe High School student Sadie Beall, the campaign was designed to educate people about the dangers of cold water shock, how quickly it can happen, and how to avoid drowning. Several marinas and kayak and SUP rental operators in the Tahoe Basin have already agreed to help get the word out to their customers about the campaign.
“Growing up in Tahoe, I’ve been around the lake and its cold water for my entire life,” Beall said. “My dad has always worked at a marina, and boating is part of our life, so hearing about cold water shock and drownings that unfortunately happen every year is not unusual. In launching this campaign, my goal is to educate people about what cold water shock is, and how it can be avoided while still enjoying Lake Tahoe.”

Tahoe’s water is generally warmer in summer, but upwelling events, where cold water from deep in the lake rises to the surface, can happen at any time and are more common out in the middle of the lake.

Because of the large temperature difference from sitting in the sun to jumping into an Alpine lake, cold water shock can happen at any temperature.

“Lake Tahoe is wider than it looks, and deeper than you can imagine,” advocates said. “Drownings are not always due to solo excursions; there are usually other people around, but the body shuts down so quickly that they cannot be rescued. Wearing a life vest at all times is the best way to protect yourself from cold water shock.”

By law, all boaters on Lake Tahoe must have a life vest with them at all times while on the lake. Children under 13 years old must be wearing their life vest at all times.

“These laws save lives,” officials said. “Adults are recommended to wear their life vests at all times as well.”