Two periphyton grazing experiments
were performed in the shallow waters off
Tahoe City and the shelf area near Ward
Creek, which differed in type of sediment
and availability of nutrients. The Tahoe
City location had small boulders and cobblcs
and a high density of crayfish. The
Ward Creek location had a bottom of fine
sand with very little shelter for macrobenthic
fauna and supported a very low number
of crayfish. The Ward Creek site was
influenced by local high nutrient inflows
from the tributary while Tahoe City was
characteristic of the general nutrient levels
of the lake.