Column: Team Tahoe Battling Aquatic Invasive Species

As beautiful and majestic as Lake Tahoe is, it is also fragile. Even slight changes in the ecosystem can have domino effects, such as the cross-cutting threats of aquatic invasive species, algae growth, and damage to native habitats. And global forces are affecting our treasured lake. Scientists report that Lake Tahoe’s average temperature has risen 1.4 degrees in just the last 50 years. Longer periods of drought and low water levels are expected to exacerbate water quality concerns and increase threats to Lake Tahoe’s pristine ecosystem.

Reports on social media over the Fourth of July weekend of possible harmful algal blooms in Lake Tahoe raised concerns about this very issue. Water quality agencies announced earlier this week that all tests for harmful algae in the lake have come back negative, with one test from a backwater pond at Nevada Beach showing low levels of toxins. Site managers are taking appropriate steps to cordon off the area and the concerns have been largely diffused, but the stories raised the specter of unhealthy, unnatural conditions in Lake Tahoe.

Like the bacteria that cause harmful algal blooms, invasive species already in Lake Tahoe such as Asian clam, Eurasian watermilfoil, and curlyleaf pondweed thrive in warmer waters. They can outcompete native species, disrupting the lake’s natural balance in ways that are difficult or impossible to reverse. Invasive plants, for example, release nutrients as they decay which becomes a self-sustaining food source and they can also harbor other invasive species such as non-native fish.

The potential economic impact of invasive species to recreation, tourism, and infrastructure like water supply systems could be as high as $42 million per year, not including the cost of watercraft inspections, control projects, and monitoring. In 2008, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) and Tahoe Resource Conservation District recognized the importance of early intervention and prevention by creating one of the first fully mandatory watercraft inspection programs in the nation. Under the banner of the Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program, or EIP, more than 113,000 boats have been inspected or decontaminated since 2008 and the program is considered a national model for prevention.

People often focus on actions toward invasive species, but we must also remember the ultimate goal is to protect and support the lake’s natural biodiversity, which is much more than flora and fauna. Restoration and protection also create space for the resurgence of Washoe Tribal heritage. The native Lahontan cutthroat trout that are central to the Washoe way of life have been lost from Lake Tahoe for more than a century.

Lahontan cutthroat trout recovery and many invasive species projects received good news earlier this year. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service awarded $3.4 million in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to significantly boost our efforts. TRPA joined Team Tahoe in championing and securing this important funding. These dollars will help construct the first permanent watercraft inspection station at Lake Tahoe and Washoe Tribe priorities including cutthroat reintroduction and habitat restoration projects at Máyala Wáta (Meeks Bay and Creek) in partnership with the USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit.

The funding will also help the Washoe improve aquatic invasive species prevention at Meeks Bay Resort, which the Tribe manages. TRPA will be able to purchase and train staff on a new piece of equipment that helps non-motorized recreators clean, drain, and dry their equipment, and dispose of any mud or plants before launching or leaving for other areas. Called CD3 machines, the mobile, solar-powered stations provide a location for paddlers and beachgoers to learn about becoming a Tahoe Keeper while they decontaminate their craft.

Tahoe Keepers are informed paddlers who understand how to clean, drain, and dry their watercraft and gear before and after launching in Tahoe regional waterbodies. Over 7,000 people have participated in the free, online training which is available this year in English and Spanish. If you are a Tahoe Keeper, thank you! I encourage everyone to go through the 10-question certification as we have a new video tutorial and protocols regarding the recent detection of invasive New Zealand mudsnails in areas of the South Shore. New protocols must be followed to contain the tiny invasive snail and protect other lakes in the region as well as other parts of Lake Tahoe. Learn more at tahoekeepers.org.

Protecting Lake Tahoe from AIS requires a unified effort from all of us. It calls for continued research, increased funding, and cultivating a spirit of stewardship among all who live and visit here. We are all here for the lake, so let’s protect it!

--Julie Regan is executive director of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency.