Community invited to aquatic weed removal project at Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe basin residents and visitors are invited to help remove of one of Tahoe's most prolific aquatic invasive weeds, Eurasian watermilfoil, during the first Community Aquatic Weeds Removal Project at Baldwin Beach on Sunday, June 3.
The project is a partnership of the League to Save Lake Tahoe, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, and the U.S. Forest Service and will occur in conjunction with the Tahoe Native Species Festival.
Volunteers will be placing bottom barriers in a large swale that parallels Lake Tahoe, which is infected with Eurasian watermilfoil. Volunteers will be needed for numerous tasks that will not require entering the swale. Volunteers of all ages and abilities are welcome to participate.

Eurasian watermilfoil is a native water plant to Europe, Asia, and Northern Africa. It was once a common aquarium plant that has since spread throughout the water ways of the United States. Once established, the invasive watermilfoil can crowd out native plants, interfere with recreation and facilitate the establishment of invasive warm water fish and amphibians in Lake Tahoe. Watermilfoil is threat to Lake Tahoe because it competes to displace diversity and abundance of native plants.
In order to prevent the further spread of invasive plants, a variety of monitoring and management techniques are being utilized in Lake Tahoe. Among them:

— Bottom Barriers: Large sheet-like barriers placed on the bottom of the lake to prevent plants from receiving sunlight.
— Hand Pulling: Physical pulling of plants to eliminate localized communities.
— Mechanical Dredging: Site-specific dredging in order to decrease plant mass.

All volunteers should wear sturdy shoes and long pants, and bring a water bottle and snack. Tools are provided, including a limited number of waders, required for those who will be working in the water. Volunteers are encouraged to bring work gloves and waders if they have them.
Registration is required. For more information or to sign-up, contact Flavia Sordelet with the League to Save Lake Tahoe at (530) 541-5388 or events@keeptahoeblue.org.