Western Nevada College's Professor of Geosciences, Dr. Winnie Kortemeier, has made a significant discovery regarding Lake Tahoe. Her research has identified the lake as North America's oldest permanent freshwater lake. This finding has gained international attention, reaching audiences in London through various media outlets.
Dr. Kortemeier is scheduled to deliver a lecture titled "Tahoe: North America’s Oldest Lake" on February 26 at Carson Nugget Hall, located in the Aspen Building on WNC's Carson City campus. The event will begin at 7 p.m., and attendance is free.
WNC President Dr. J. Kyle Dalpe expressed pride in Dr. Kortemeier's work, stating, "We are extremely proud of Dr. Kortemeier and her research." He highlighted her role as an exemplary figure for students and her ability to bring practical experiences into the classroom.
During her presentation, Dr. Kortemeier will discuss the scientific methods that led to her discovery about Lake Tahoe's age and significance as one of the world's oldest permanent freshwater lakes.
Lake Tahoe, recognized as North America's largest alpine lake, was formed during the Pleistocene era—also known as the Ice Age—between approximately 10,000 and 2.6 million years ago. Through radiometric dating techniques applied to rocks and basalt interaction studies over two decades of research on Lake Tahoe, Dr. Kortemeier concluded that the lake is at least 2.3 million years old.
Dr. Kortemeier expressed enthusiasm about sharing her insights with attendees on February 26: “I love Lake Tahoe and its spectacular geology," she said, noting her enjoyment in educating students about it during field trips each semester.
Her findings were also presented at the Geological Society of America’s annual meeting held on September 23 at Anaheim Convention Center in California.