This study examined the effects of the prescribed burn program carried out by the California State Parks System annually since 1992 within the General Creek watershed in Sugar Pine Point State Park (Lake Tahoe, CA-NV). The aim of this paired watershed research (General Creek-watershed subject to prescribed fire treatments and Meeks Creek-control/reference watershed) was to couple analyses of forest health and fire management with Lake Tahoe*s aquatic health. Changes in water quality parameters (discharge, total suspended sediment, total phosphorus, soluble reactive phosphorus, ammonia, and nitrate) as a result of prescribed burning in mixed conifer forests were examined over scales of time and space. Overall, the historical (1980-1999) and water year 1999 analyses demonstrated that the cumulative effects of the Sugar Pine Point State Park Burn Program on the stream sediment and nutrient loading of Lake Tahoe are negligible. In the 19-year data set, post-burn program (1992-1999) total phosphorus and ammonia concentrations were lower when compared to pre-burn program (1981-1992) data. The marginal increase in post-burn program total suspended sediment concentration was not translated to an increased load. Pre- and post-burn differences over the course of 19 years were nonexistent for total phosphorus and soluble reactive phosphorus loads. Additionally, pre- and post-burn differences in precipitation had statistically negligible effects on stream discharge during peak flow months (March-July). For water year 1999, there were insignificant differences between loads for all constituents (total suspended sediment, total phosphorus, soluble reactive phosphorus, ammonia, and nitrate) across treatment and control downstream sites. Though there was greater total phosphorus concentration downstream of the prescribed burns, there was no increased total phosphorus load downstream of these treatments. Both soluble reactive phosphorus concentration and loading were greater in the treatment watershed*s downstream site when compared to its upstream site. Although there were significantly elevated values of soluble reactive phosphorus concentration in the treatment stream when compared to the control stream, these discrepancies did not hold for loading. Nitrate and ammonia demonstrated a locally variable pattern that was supported by only one statistically significant comparison, which showed higher nitrate concentrations upstream of the prescribed burn units. Soluble reactive phosphorus (downstream treatment >upstream treatment) and nitrate (upstream treatment >downstream treatment) concentration differences present in water year 1999 were also significant for the 1-day synchronous sampling regime.