Documentary on Lake Tahoe Cleanup Premieres at Film Festival

72 Miles follows a dive team's mission to remove 25,000 pounds of litter from Lake Tahoe's shoreline.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 5:56am

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An abstract, out-of-focus photograph in soft, warm tones depicting an underwater scene with floating debris, conceptually representing the pollution in Lake Tahoe.The 72 Miles documentary sheds light on the hidden pollution plaguing even the most pristine freshwater lakes like Lake Tahoe.South Lake Tahoe Today

A new documentary called 72 Miles will premiere at the Lake Tahoe Documentary Film Festival on Sunday, April 18. The film follows a Sierra Nevada-based dive team on their mission to complete the first full 72-mile underwater cleanup of Lake Tahoe's shoreline, removing over 25,000 pounds of submerged litter and debris from the lakebed.

Why it matters

The film shines a light on the growing issue of pollution in even the most pristine freshwater lakes, showing how a dedicated team can create measurable impact through their persistence and endurance.

The details

The Lake Tahoe Documentary Film Festival brings together filmmakers, storytellers, and audiences to showcase impactful, real-world stories centered on environmental issues, human resilience, and global exploration. 72 Miles captures the magnitude of the problem and the physical challenges the dive team faced, including working through frozen shorelines, record-breaking snowfall, and wildfire evacuations while conducting demanding dives in cold, high-elevation conditions.

  • The Lake Tahoe Documentary Film Festival will take place on April 18, 2026.
  • The 72 Miles documentary was filmed in 2022.

The players

Clean Up The Lake

A nonprofit organization that conducted the underwater cleanup of Lake Tahoe's shoreline.

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What’s next

The 72 Miles documentary will premiere at the Lake Tahoe Documentary Film Festival on Sunday, April 18, 2026.

The takeaway

This documentary highlights the growing issue of pollution in even the most pristine freshwater lakes and showcases how a dedicated team can make a significant difference through their persistence and hard work.