Conservation

Every day we wash our dishes, fill our water glass, and flush the toilet, likely without thinking much about the systems required to make this all possible. I’d like to think we are doing our job so you don’t have to think too much about it.

New laws will be going into effect in California in the new year, putting into place California legislature action during 2019. There are many changes including road safety and distracted driving penalties, roadkill rules, minimum wage, independent workers and rent caps.

Except where noted, these laws are effective January 1, 2020:

Traffic Safety

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) is highlighting several new laws passed this year:

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The California Tahoe Conservancy (CTC) Board has authorized spending $1,036,750 to implement three high-priority projects to reduce fire risk and improve forest health in South Lake Tahoe and on the west shore.

During their meeting on Thursday, the CTC Board approved funding for projects that include:

- Spending up to $211,250 on forest thinning on Conservancy land in the South Lake Tahoe Ski Run and Bijou neighborhoods,

- A grant to the South Tahoe Public Utility District for up to $338,000 for forest thinning on the grounds of its treatment plant, and

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The California Tahoe Conservancy (CTC) has been awarded a large piece of funding to help its $10.6 million project to restore the 500 acre Upper Truckee River Marsh.

CTC was awarded $2.98M by the California Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) to help with the project at the marsh, the largest wetland in the Lake Tahoe Basin.

District V Supervisor Sue Novasel will be holding a Town Hall meeting to update residents on the outcome of the recent traffic congestion circulation pilot projects that took place over the Memorial Day and Fourth of July holiday weekends.

Information will be shared on both the outcome and future of the pilot projects.

The meeting will be held on November 21 from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at the California Conservation Corps auditorium located at 1949 Apache Avenue in Meyers.

Novasel will be joined by El Dorado County Department of Transportation staff.

It's been one heck of a summer in terms of driving around town. Between Echo Summit and the Meyers roundabout, the horrible accident at Elks Club, US50 through town and then the construction at Stateline that caused delays back to Zephyr Cove in mid-September. Luckily, the Stateline issue was quickly remedied, the highway at Elks Club seems mostly repaired, and the Meyers roundabout turned out great.

Californians, including the people of Lake Tahoe, love our public lands. We love the cold deep blue waters of Lake Tahoe, the rugged mountains, and the varied forests that are part of the nearly 100 million acres of land all Californians can claim ownership of. We love these public lands not just because of their natural beauty, but because they are central to our way of life. Many of us live here, or moved here, because of what they provide - culture, lifestyle, and livelihood.

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. – This week marks the last full week of summer operations for watercraft inspection stations around Lake Tahoe. Starting Oct. 1 the duties will move from roadside stations to inspecting only at the Cave Rock and Lake Forest launch ramps for the winter season.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – What was once a dull gray shipping container has been transformed into a work of art at the watercraft inspection station in Meyers, California. The container houses equipment used to decontaminate boats arriving at the station that might harbor aquatic invasive species.

Now greeting boaters will be a colorful and creative mural painted by local artists and students. At the same time the mural puts the Clean, Drain, and Dry message front and center.

Fire Fest is returning to the South Shore on Saturday, September 21, 2019, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. outside the back of Hard Rock Casino Lake Tahoe. Admission is free and it's a great opportunity for families to have fun while learning about safety and conservation.

Helicopters will be the stars this year as they land just outside the venue at the Hard Rock Casino Lake Tahoe. What an incredible opportunity to get a close-up look at these amazing machines! Crews will be on hand to answer questions and explain how they help us when we need them most.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Caltrans is now looking at October 18 as the beginning of a two-week closure of US Highway 50 at Echo Summit.

9.6.19 Update: At this time Echo Summit will be closed for 14 days starting on October 18, 2019.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Due to a delay in receiving needed supplies, the Caltrans contractor working on the US 50 Echo Summit Sidehill Viaduct project will be moving their expected full road closure date.

Caltrans today told the South Lake Tahoe City Council it is looking more like mid-October for their closing the artery between the lake and Sacramento for up to 14 days. They said the actual closure date is still a moving target.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Ever since the information was released about the possibility of closing US50 over Echo Summit at the end of September, the Caltrans Maintenance Yard in Meyers has been inundated with requests for a local's pass. If the highway is closed, locals will have an option to head west via Johnson's Pass Road.

During their meeting this week, the California Tahoe Conservancy Board directed its staff to move ahead with due diligence for their nine asset lands in Meyers. Of the Conservancy’s nearly 4,700 properties in the Lake Tahoe Basin, the Conservancy has designated 17 properties as asset lands that could support sustainable compact development consistent with local area plans and the Lake Tahoe Regional Plan.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Elevating Humanity is the theme of the 4th annual TEDx South Lake Tahoe at the Lake Tahoe Community College's Duke Theatre on Saturday, October 19, 2019.

The goal of organizers this year is to uplift individuals and spark positivity to make the world a better place. All of the speakers presenting during the evening will use this theme as they inspire attendees.

So far, three speakers have been revealed and over the next few weeks, the other seven will be introduced on the TEDx website, http://tedxsouthlaketahoe.com.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - As a follow-up to their "Prepare to Evacuate" community meeting, the Tahoe Neighborhoods Group is joining forces to help the Tahoe Resource Conservation District (TRCD) bring a “Neighborhood Leader Orientation" meeting to South Lake Tahoe.

On August 21 at the El Dorado County Library in South Lake Tahoe from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., TRCD will focus on what it means to be a “Fire Adapted Community” and how neighborhood leaders can organize and hold neighborhood events to ensure that homes and communities are prepared and fire safe if/when a fire occurs.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - What do South Lake Tahoe, California and Nevada; Bend, Oregon; Bozeman, Montana; Steamboat Springs, Colorado; and Flagstaff, Arizona have in common?

They are all mountain towns who have joined together to make it easier for tourists to open their hearts and wallets in support of wild places. They have taken steps to empower travelers to help protect the outdoor places where they recreate.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Most have seen the blue and gold placards attached to trees on lots around Lake Tahoe, signifying the California Tahoe Conservancy (CTC) owns that piece of property.

CTC currently owns nearly 4,700 of these labeled parcels comprising around 6,500 acres around Lake Tahoe. Over 4,300 of these parcels are environmentally sensitive, leaving 331 parcels as "asset lands."

Mandatory inspections of all boats launching in Lake Tahoe and other Sierra lakes has resulted in the interception of invasive quagga mussels on two boats.

The detection of the infestations of aquatic invasive species took place at the California inspection stations in Meyers and Truckee.

Paddlers enjoying Lake Tahoe now have an updated resource available to navigate the 72 miles of the lake's shoreline.

The Sierra Business Council has just released the 2019 Lake Tahoe Water Trail Map & Access Guide to help paddlers safely find their way along the water route. It pinpoints all of the 37 public launch and landing sites, including the Lake Tahoe Water Trail's 20 trailhead sites with wayfinding signage, restrooms and parking.

The sun is out, the snow is melting and now is the time to get out and enjoy summer on your National Forest lands. The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) it partnership with Heavenly Mountain Resort once again 'invites the public to 'Hike with a Ranger' beginning July 12, 2019. Hikes will take place every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 11:00 a.m. at the top of the Heavenly Gondola. The guided hikes last approximately one hour and continue every weekend through September 8, 2019, weather permitting.

While many local groups have joined forces to develop housing for residents, the reality is that it takes time to build new housing. And time is what many of our local employers don't have right now as we head into summer. Faced with an immediate need to house their employees, employers have created their own solutions.

At its meeting yesterday, and following a tour of the properties, the Conservancy Board directed staff to begin pre-sale activities for the two parcels: 8602 North Lake Boulevard and 8644 Speckled Avenue. Potential opportunities for the parcels could include new affordable housing or mixed-use development, as well as improvements for people walking and riding bicycles, water quality improvement projects, and placement of conservation easements over sensitive open space.

Eyes on the Lake Training
Wednesday, August 21 | 5 - 7 pm
Location: Tahoe Keys POA, South Lake Tahoe

Do you enjoy:

Swimming | Paddling | Boating | SCUBA diving | Snorkeling | Fishing

Or just viewing the Lake's natural beauty?

Then there's a role for you. Protect while you play at Lake Tahoe. Aquatic invasive plants are threatening Lake Tahoe. You can help prevent their assault on Tahoe's waters. We need your “Eyes on the Lake.”

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