invasive species

The USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) in coordination with the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board, will host a virtual public workshop about the Meeks Bay Restoration Project from 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 7, 2021. The workshop will provide the background and need for the project, share proposed restoration and site improvement alternatives, describe the next steps in the environmental planning process and solicit feedback on the alternatives.

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. - The new Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit Deputy Forest Supervisor Danelle D. Harrison is our guest columnist and looks back, and ahead, to the health of Lake Tahoe

Looking Back

December is a special time of year when our thoughts turn to family and friends, and communities come together to celebrate the season. It also marks the end of the year. And what a year it was. Together, we experienced unprecedented events including a record-breaking wildland fire year in the Pacific Southwest Region.

Crews began work this month in the marsh system of Taylor and Tallac creeks in the Southwest portion of the Tahoe Basin to remove aquatic invasive plants from an abundant and impacted marsh ecosystem, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) said today.

For more than half a century, collaboration and partnership have been the bedrock of Lake Tahoe’s preservation. I speak often of the epic collaboration needed to restore our environment and lift up our communities. The creation of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) 50 years ago challenged us to bring people together to pull this majestic lake back from the brink. Today, TRPA is the backbone for 80 organizations and thousands of property owners working toward the common goals of clean water, a healthy watershed, and resilient communities

Beginning October 1, watercraft inspections for the detection and prevention of aquatic invasive species (AIS) will change locations and shift to a first-come, first-served basis, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) and the Tahoe Resource Conservation District (Tahoe RCD) announced today.

With this shift back to on-demand inspections, the agencies are closing out the inspection appointment system initiated this year to lower the risk of COVID-19 spread.

October 1 through 12:

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. - The resiliency of Lake Tahoe was the focus of the 24th annual Lake Tahoe Summit Tuesday, held virtually instead of on the shores of the pristine lake in the Sierra Nevada many call home and even thousands more visit.

MEEKS BAY, Calif. - The USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) is developing a plan to restore Meeks Creek to a more natural condition, while continuing to support sustainable recreation opportunities. The LTBMU, in conjunction with Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, and Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board, will host a virtual public workshop on the project from 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. on August 19, 2020.

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. - As demand soars for watercraft inspections at Lake Tahoe, agencies preventing the introduction of aquatic invasive species (AIS) into the lake’s pristine waters caution boaters to expect delays and to be prepared to change boating plans through the July Fourth weekend.

On June 10 the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center released findings from its annual Lake Tahoe Clarity Report, which showed average Lake clarity for 2019 was 62.7 feet, the second-smallest annual average depth recorded since systematic annual measurements began in 1968.

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. - Scientists and researchers have been watching the clarity of Lake Tahoe for decades, rejoicing when one can see almost 100 feet down into the iconic body of water, sadness when clarity drops to record levels.

The clarity of the lake is an important indicator of the changing conditions of Lake Tahoe.

In 2019, Lake Tahoe's clarity decreased nearly eight feet from the previous year's dramatic 10-foot improvement. The average clarity in 2019 was 62.7 feet, the second-lowest on record. In 2017, the recorded clarity was 60 feet. In 1968, it was 102 feet.

Whether you live here in Tahoe or can’t wait until it’s safe to visit, we’re all anxious for a return to normalcy. This time of year, that means getting boats on the Lake's beautiful blue waters - while ensuring that you, me and Lake Tahoe stay healthy. To Keep Tahoe Blue, we must protect it from harmful invasive species. Weeds, fish and other invasive organisms can cloud the Lake’s clear waters, encourage toxic algae blooms, and damage Tahoe’s ecological balance. In short, invasive species turn Tahoe green.

Ambiguity, uncertainty, and contradictions abound in this pandemic. Add time to the list of contradictions swirling around us. Morning and night sometimes seem a week apart. The first month of shelter‐in‐place dripped by for many of us. The second month was gone before we knew it. And now summer is fast approaching. We welcome the season because in ordinary times it can elevate our well‐being, but these are not ordinary times. With most of the attention and intensity now on reopening, the question that hangs in the balance is, are we ready? Is it the right time?

LAKE TAHOE, Nev./Calif. - Local boats will soon be able to get into Lake Tahoe, but boaters from out of the area will have to wait until COVID-19 reopening phases allow them.

On Friday the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) announced a phased approach to boating that discourages out-of-area visitation as part of state and local coordination on recreation guidelines for Lake Tahoe this season.

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. - Watercraft inspections to prevent the introduction of aquatic invasive species (AIS) in Lake Tahoe have halted until at least April 16 in response to Nevada and California Executive Orders on COVID-19, according to the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and the Tahoe Resource Conservation District. Watercraft inspection stations, as well as the boat ramps at Cave Rock, Nevada and Tahoe City, California, will remain closed until it is deemed safe for personnel to return to work, they said.

STATELINE, Nev. - Six projects were given Best in the Basin awards Wednesday by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA). The presentation of the 29th annual winners was made before their board meeting at Stateline.

The TRPA Best in Basin awards program showcases projects around the lake that demonstrate exceptional planning, implementation, and compatibility with Tahoe’s natural environment and communities.

Billions of invasive Mysis shrimp, introduced in the 1960s, live in Lake Tahoe, where they eat native zooplankton that historically helped keep the lake blue and clear while also serving as a food source for native fish.

If one removes the shrimp from Lake Tahoe, what is done with them?

The UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center (TERC) is conducting a five-minute survey of all dog owners to see if they would consider a product for their dog made from Mysis shrimp.

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.

STATELINE, Nev. – With 72 miles of shoreline and a massive surface area of 191 square miles, navigating Lake Tahoe can be challenging. This summer, there's a new way for boaters to navigate Lake Tahoe's waters. Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) and its partners launched a new Tahoe Boating app to inform boaters and paddlers about Lake Tahoe, no-wake zone boundaries, area attractions, and how to enjoy the lake safely and responsibly.

Boaters and paddlers can download the free Tahoe Boating app from either the Apple or Android stores or at tahoeboating.org.

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.

Eyes on the Lake Training
Thursday, August 8 | noon - 2 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.”

Location

Eyes on the Lake Training
Wednesday, July 10 | 10 am - noon
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.”

Location

Saturday, June 22| 8:30 am - noon
Location: Baldwin Beach, South Tahoe

Volunteers of all ages and skill levels are invited to this fun, hands-on restoration day. Participants will build fencing to protect the threatened native Tahoe Yellow Cress and survey for aquatic invasive species.

What to Bring: sturdy boots, long pants and long sleeves recommended, sunglasses, and a reusable water bottle.
We provide: Snacks, refreshments, gloves, training, equipment and a lunch voucher for all volunteers.

Partners: United States Forest Service and Ernie's Coffee Shop.

Location

The USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) will continue a project to eradicate, control, and contain known infestations of invasive plants in the Lake Tahoe Basin using chemical treatment. Work will take place at approximately 90 infestations sites (105 acres) beginning in late May and continuing through September 2019.

At its Board meeting in Sacramento on Thursday, the California Tahoe Conservancy accepted a $1.95 million grant from the Sierra Nevada Conservancy to co-manage the Tahoe-Central Sierra Initiative (TCSI), a pioneering landscape-level effort to restore forest and watershed resilience to more than 2.4 million acres.