LAKE TAHOE, Nev. – With the incoming rain and snow, neighbors around the site of the proposed new Barton Health complex at Stateline were concerned about the temporary BMPs (Best Management Practices) failing and sending runoff into their homes. They contacted the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) who went to investigate.
According to Jeff Cowen of TRPA, their team has been working diligently on the winterization of the site. They identified some berming and contouring that should be updated before the incoming storms. They also decided new catchment areas on the property would add capacity and prevent stormwater from leaving the property.
“Neighbors adjacent to the project site requested an upgrade to the BMP plan to minimize runoff during storms,” said Mindi Befu, Barton’s director of marketing and public relations. “That plan was recently submitted and approved by the TRPA. Barton moved quickly to have contractors implement the approved upgrades prior to the incoming storm.”
TRPA granted a grading season exception since dirt cannot be moved in the Lake Tahoe Basin between Oct. 15 and May 1.
The arrival of the work trucks concerned some of the residents this week due to the possibility of loose dirt being freed to drain off the site. TRPA said all of the work is being monitored and will be watched during the upcoming rain and snow events.
Kahle Drive, which is one corner of the Barton lot, has a high underground water level and the bottom of the drive captures stormwater and is an area where Environmental Improvement Program (EIP) projects are complete and/or planned to help infiltrate runoff, said Cowen.
The next phase of EIP projects are starting this summer to raise Kahle Drive and fix the drainage issues in that area. A complete streets project is planned along with those improvements that will accelerate the implementation of the improvements identified in the 2014 Burke Creek-Rabe Meadow Complex Master Plan and the Kahle Drive Vision.
(This story was updated on 2/1/25 to include new information)