Lake Tahoe grading season starts May 1

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) reminds residents, property owners, and project managers that the grading and digging season for permitted projects in the Lake Tahoe Basin begins May 1.

Grading and digging work is confined to drier months to protect Lake Tahoe’s famed water clarity from sources of erosion and sediment, according to TRPA. During the normal grading season of May 1 through October 15, soil work can proceed in dry conditions, but is prohibited when a project area is covered with snow, when the ground is saturated, muddy, or unstable, and during periods of precipitation.

Working in dry conditions prevents soil compaction and stops loose soil and mud from washing away from project sites or into roadways, storm drains, waterways, and the lake.

Although all grading is prohibited in wet conditions, not all digging requires a permit. Up to three cubic yards of soil can be moved if the site is stabilized to prevent erosion. More information is available at trpa.gov/applications-forms under Grading.