How Was Lake Tahoe, On The Border Of The U.S. States Of California And Nevada, Formed?

The Truckee River filled a basin between two mountain ranges to form Lake Tahoe.
The river was dammed on the west side by faults caused by a volcanic eruption 2 million years ago .
At one point, the Truckee River valleys was filled with glaciers. These created the finger lakes near Tahoe of Cascade and Fallen Lake and the incipient finger lake of Emerald Bay.
In addition, the west side of the lake near Tahoe City had a huge landslide, which created a massive seiche, a tsunami that forms in lakes. This carved out a big chunk of shoreline there.
Magma injections produced a hydrovolcanic surge cloud at the steam column's base. Ejected, sticky ash was deposited on beaches. Underwater basalt rose to the surface, forming "lava pillow" formations seen today on the lake's west side.

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