Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1880-09-09
LAKE TAHOE.
what the word "rshos" sigsinss-
Size md Depth or b Laks-Ies
Relation 90 rruckee River.

The Last number Of the Mining and
Scientific Press contains q valuable article
from the pen Of Prof. John LIE Conte.
on the Mountain Lakes Of the Sierra
Nevada" from which the following, rel.
alive to Tahoe and the Truckse river. is
taken:
MEANING OF TAHOE.
The meaning OF the word Tahoe IL BY
no means certain. 1t Is usually said 10
be q washoe Indian word, meaning "Big
Water according to others. Elevated
Water" Others, deep Water" and
Others, "Fish Lake" Whatever may
be the meaning OF this name. there can
be no question but that the Wsshos In
dams designated this remarkable body
OF water by some Characteristic name
long before the earliest pioneers Of civ.
ilization penetrated into it, secluded
mountain recess.
PHYSICAL STUDIES OF LAKE TAHOE.
During the summer Of 1873 the writer
embraced the opportunity Afforded BY .
six weeks s~ojourn on the shores OF this
lake, to undertake some physical studies
in relation to this largest Of the gems
OF the Sierra" Furnished with Q good
sounding.lius and q sslf.rsgisteripg Their
mometer, he was enabled to eeure some
interesting and Trustworthy physical re.
suits in regard to this beautiful lake.
(l) Dspth.-It 10 we'll known that con-
siderable diversity Of opinion has pre-
vailed in relation to the actual depth Of
this lake. Sensational newsmongers
have unhesitstingly asserted that in
some portions 1t 10 absolutely fathom.
less. 1t 10 needless to say that actual
soundiugs served to dispsl or rectify this
popular impression. The soundings In
dictate that there Ia . deep subaqueous
channel traversing the whole lake In its
greatest dimensions, or south and north.
Soundinss Beginning ct the south
end, near the "Laks House." and
advancing along the long axis OF the
lako directly north towards the "Hot
Springs" at the northern end, . dis
lance OF about IS miles. We have the fol-
lowing successive depths In feet: 800.
1885, 1895. 1901, 1906. 1910, 1904. 1000.
1910. l645. These figures show that
this lake exceeds in depth the deepest
of the Swiss lakes (the Lake OF Gsneval,
which has q maximum depth Of 1874
metres.
Dim.nsions.-The greatest dimension
OF this lake dsvistes but sligbtly from q
meridian line. It, maximum length 10
about Gig miles, and ito greatest width
is about ~ miles. In consequence Of
the irregulsrity OF its outline. It 10 difi-
cult to estimate its exact area; but II
cannot deviate much from 1872 to 1875
square miles.
AAitude.-Th railroad surveys indi-
cate that the elevation OF the surface Of
its waters above the level OF the ocean Ii
about 6247 feet.
Drainage Basin.-Its drainage basin,
including in this its own area, 10 esti-
mated to be about 600 square miles.
Probably more than 100 aflusnts OF
various capaoitiss-dsrivins their waters
from the amphitheater OF snow.clsd
mountains which rise on all sides from
5000 to 1000 feet above Its surfsce-oon-
tribute their quota to supply this lake.
The largest Of these aflusnts 10 the
Upper Truckee river. which falls into its
southern extremity.
THE TRucKEE RIVER.
The only outlet to tho lake 10 the
Truckee river, which carries the surplus
water from a point on its northwestern
shore out through . maniAcent gorge,
thence northeast through the arid plains
OF Nevada into Pyramid lake. This
river, in its t~ortuous course, RUM Q dis
lance OF over 100 miles, and for about
20 miles (from Truckee to Wadsworth)
the Central Pacific Railroad follows Its
windings. According to the railroad
surveys this river makes the following
descents: