Mammoth Lakes Tourism invests $100,000 to preserve its lakes as part of sustainability commitment

Mammoth Lakes Tourism is proud to announce a new fundraising campaign that is committed to cleaning up the region’s lakes. Mammoth Lakes, one of California’s most scenic and spectacular mountain spots, is undergoing this region-wide clean up in order to provide the highest quality of experience for visitors and locals. The tourism board has partnered with Clean Up The Lake, an organisation that’s committed to fighting plastic and pollution on land and in the water, and will match every dollar raised over the next four years, up to $100,000. The clean-up efforts began this month in Lake George and will continue through 2026.

Over the past year pilot research dives took place in four of the lakes in the Mammoth Lakes Basin including Lake George, Twin Lakes, Lake Mary and Lake Mamie. These dives gave the team a greater understanding of the environmental issues present, and action necessary, to ensure the health and future preservation of the area’s namesake treasures.

The partnership aims to ensure the removal of submerged litter, document any and all aquatic invasive species that are threatening the lakes, work to protect animal species both above and below the surface, and prevent any future pollution.

This month volunteers from Clean Up The Lake began a full-scale clean up and survey of the invasive aquatic species in Lake George’s 2-mile circumference working with volunteer scuba divers, free divers and kayakers to remove fishing debris, plastic pollution and understand other threats to the environment.

“I couldn’t be more excited to be working in the Mammoth Lakes Basin this fall,” said Clean Up The Lake Founder & Executive Director Colin West. “There is a widespread litter problem that has been ignored for decades in freshwater lakes all across the Sierra, and action is necessary to ensure the future protection of the region’s most valuable resource.”

Over the next four years, Clean Up The Lake will be working alongside Mammoth Lakes Tourism to engage with visitors and the local community to increase education and further volunteer efforts towards the lake clean ups.

“Our investment in this program is a commitment to the natural resources that make this place so special,” said Mammoth Lakes Tourism Executive Director, John Urdi. “Not only will this work have an immediate impact on our pristine mountain lakes, but it will also highlight the importance of protecting the places we play, both for visitors, and locals alike. There is a big impact on our environment that is happening just below the surface. Much of this litter is out of sight and therefore, out of mind.”