streams

Lake Tahoe is known around the world for its crystal-clear water. For several decades, Tahoe’s clarity, which measured more than 100 feet in 1968, was declining each year because of stormwater pollution from poorly planned development and the lingering effects of historical activities such as cattle grazing and logging.

For 20 years, every August we’ve paused to reflect on our collective commitment to Lake Tahoe’s restoration at the Lake Tahoe Summit. This year, with U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein hosting the event, the issue of climate change will be front and center. Climate change poses incredible challenges for Tahoe, affecting not only the health of its famously cold, clear waters, but the health of its expansive forests and what is to become of our $5 billion outdoor recreation-based economy.

South Lake Tahoe area law enforcement, agencies and safety personnel are preparing for a very busy holiday weekend, full of people coming to enjoy all sorts of outdoor activities. With a very high lake level, and overflowing rivers, caution and safety are urged to have a fabulous weekend in Lake Tahoe.

And they aren't only going to be dealing with water safety. Rules and regulations along the beaches will also be enforced for safety reasons.

Last Friday, I delivered to the Board of Supervisors and publicly released the County’s Recommended Budget. The 422-page document deserves some context.

Warming temperatures will accelerate snowpack melt across the Sierra this weekend and the National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for California and western Nevada, including the following areas: In California, Greater Lake Tahoe Area, Lassen-Eastern Plumas-Eastern Sierra Counties, and Mono County. In western Nevada: Greater Lake Tahoe Area and Greater Reno-Carson City-Minden Area.

Flows on small creeks and streams will rise through at least early next week. Daily peak flows on small creeks and streams typically occur during the evening
and overnight hours.

Above average temperatures combined with an above average, and still deep, snowpack in the Sierra has led to the flooding of the Upper Truckee River, Trout Creek and Cold Creek in South Lake Tahoe. The extra water in the river has also led to slight flooding on Colorado Avenue in the Tahoe Keys.

You see it along the highway, clinging to the fences, wrapped around bushes or filling up culverts and blowing along the road. "It" is trash, an ever-growing and costly problem in California.

Last year, California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) spent $67 million on litter removal, collecting enough litter, trash, and debris from highways to fill almost 9,000 garbage trucks.

“That money would have been better spent fixing our roads,” said Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty.

Good morning skiers and riders, and if you’re visiting, welcome to Lake Tahoe!

Today is Tuesday, April 4.

Shaping up to be a Mostly Cloudy Tuesday with Spring Conditions… Take your Orange/Yellow/ Rose Tinted Goggles and some rub on Wax… Machine Groomed and Skier Rider packed snow softening with day time temperatures… Don’t forget the Sunscreen! Have Fun & Be Safe!
TODAY’S WEATHER (NWS GREATER LAKE TAHOE AREA): Expect Mostly Cloudy Skies. Highs: 50F to 60F. Light winds.
TONIGHT: Mostly Cloudy. Lows: 29F to 39F. Light winds.

The next storm headed to Northern California and Western Nevada is an atmospheric river that is trending wetter, just like the other storms South Lake Tahoe has seen in 2017 according to the National Weather Service in Reno.

A Lake Wind Advisory, Winter Storm Warning and and Flood Watch have all been issued for Lake Tahoe.

Good morning skiers and riders, and if you are visiting, welcome to Lake Tahoe!

Today is February 15.

SHAPING UP TO BE A GREAT HUMP DAY FOR MAKING TURNS… GET OUT ON THE MOUNTAIN TODAY BEFORE THE NEXT SERIES OF WEATHER COMES THRU STARTING THIS EVENING AND OVER THE WEEKEND…

TODAY’S WEATHER (NWS GREATER LAKE TAHOE AREA): Expect Partly Cloudy Skies in the morning then becoming Mostly Cloudy. Highs: 47F-52F (35F-45F on the Slopes) and Southwest Winds 10-15 mph.

A winter storm warning is in effect for the Lake Tahoe basin from 10:00 p.m. Sunday night through Monday at 10:00 p.m. with up to 10" of snow forecast for lake level.

As the snow passes Monday night, heavy rains will hit the Sierra, Reno and the Carson Valley with flooding possible in areas of poor drainage, creeks and streams. Rivers may see some rise with the rains.

Chains controls were up on all mountain roads Sunday night.

Forecast from the National Weather Service:

After a series of storms fondly dubbed by South Lake Tahoe locals as "Januburied" and "Snowmaggedon" hit the Lake Tahoe region in January, the water levels in the lake have risen to the highest levels since 2013.

As of January 28, 2017, Lake Tahoe is at an elevation of 6225.08, 2.08 feet above its natural rim of 6,223 feet above sea level. The lake is considered full at the legal limit of 6,229.1 ft, so there is still quite a big of storage left, 482,400 acres of water to be exact.

Good morning skiers and riders, and if you're visiting, welcome to Lake Tahoe!

Today is Tuesday, January 17.

WE GOT THRU THE MLK WEEKEND AND TODAY IS THE DAY FOR LOCALS TO RECLAIM THE SLOPES. GET OUT ON THE MOUNTAIN AND ENJOY THE GREAT CONDITIONS. MOST LIFTS AND RUNS ARE OPEN AT ALL RESORTS… STAY ON DESIGNATED OPEN RUNS ONLY AND BE SAFE. IF YOU VENTURE OFF PISTE, SKI & RIDE WITH A BUDDY.

I WILL NOT BE UPDATING THIS REPORT FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS AS I WILL BE HEADING OUT ON A ROADTRIP TO UTAH, WYOMING & IDAHO AND YOU CAN FOLLOW MY POSTS ON MY FACEBOOK PAGE AND ON BIKEANDSKITAHOE.COM.

Many roads in Nevada were under water Sunday after torrential rains went through, causing rivers and streams to flood. In Reno alone 50 roads were closed due to high water levels, and all bridges over the Truckee River in Reno were also closed.

The Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) spent the day evaluating the state's roads affected by floods and rain. Multiple state roads in the greater Truckee Meadows and Carson Valley areas remain closed, including those in the Sparks industrial area and areas of Reno, including East McCarran Boulevard and South Virginia Street.

Imagine a long, narrow river in the sky about 250 to 375 miles wide, moving along with the weather. It transports water vapor with a flow several times faster than the water at the mouth of the Mississippi River. A river that, when it hits land, releases 30-50 percent of the area's annual precipitation in the form or rain or snow in just a couple of days.

This "river" is called an atmospheric river, and a powerful one can create extreme rainfall and floods and is capable of disrupting travel and causing catastrophic damage.

"If you want to see the sunshine, you have to weather the storm," says the old quote, and if you want to see this weekend's clear and sunny skies you'll have to get through two days of rain, wind and snow.

The National Weather Service has issued three warnings for the Lake Tahoe Basin:

High Wind Warning in effect until Thursday at 4:00 p.m. Winds will be from the southwest 25 TO 40 mph with gusts 65-70 mph. Gust over 80 mph likely in wind prone areas around Reno, Carson City and Minden. Sierra ridge gusts up to 130 mph. Waves on the lake will be 3 to 7 feet.

The House and Senate have agreed to include the bipartisan Lake Tahoe Restoration Act in the final bicameral Water Resources Development Act, titled the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act, Nevada Sen. Dean Heller announced Monday.

The news comes just hours after Vail Resorts and the many members of the public made pleas for this to happen.

The Lake Tahoe Basin saw continued environmental improvement over the last four years, but faces major challenges from climate change, according to a draft 2015 Threshold Evaluation Report released by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA).

The report offers a detailed assessment of the health of Lake Tahoe and its treasured natural environment as indicated by 178 threshold standards in nine categories: Air quality, water quality, soil conservation, vegetation, fisheries, wildlife, scenic resources, noise, and recreation.

There are 59 national parks in the United States and they are all celebrating the 100th birthday of the National Park Service. On August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed an act of Congress, the National Park Service Organic Act, which created the agency that now watches over 84.4 million acres of land, 4.5 million acres of oceans, reservoirs and lakes, 85,000 miles of rivers and streams, and 43,000 miles of shoreline.

What was once home to 155 mobile homes and the KGID water treatment plant took one big step towards being a luxury condominium project on Wednesday when developers tore down the plant.

The mobile homes are all gone, with the remaining few given 90 day notices in January to vacate the property.

The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit is urging backcountry hikers and backpackers to use extra care when visiting upper elevation areas of the Lake Tahoe Basin over the next several weeks as there is still significant snow above 8,000 feet in many locations. This past winter saw a return to normal snow-pack conditions and many backcountry trails are still covered with snow and ice leaving trails slippery and difficult to find. In addition, current warm temperatures have caused streams to flow higher and faster, which can make crossing difficult.

Restoring and conserving our environment at Lake Tahoe means setting our aspirations at the right scale. That’s what TRPA and many partners are working to do through strategic initiatives to ensure the health of our basin’s forests, streams, and lake, and to improve our communities and transportation infrastructure.

The Knights Inn could be purchased by the City of South Lake Tahoe for $6 million should a grant be awarded them by the California Tahoe Conservancy. If that happens, the City would purchase, and then demolish, the motel located on Highway 50 near Ski Run Boulevard to make way for a new environmental and retail project.

There is grant money available through the CTC which the City will apply for. The funds come from the state's Proposition 1 Water Bond which was approved by voters in 2014 to authorize $7.545 billion in general obligation bonds for water projects.

The trip is hot and dry. A layer of several feet of dust lined the route, flying around as the wheels of the wagons and hooves of the horses pass over. The road is steep and over granite along the 130 miles from the Carson Valley to Placerville. When not the middle of summer, the road is muddy or buried by snow. A horse could cover the terrain in 24-hours.

The road is Johnson's Cut-off and the year is 1852. It was built by John Calhoun "Cock-eye" Johnson as a way to cut off 50 miles and 2,000 feet in elevation from the common route people took over Donner Summit as they emigrated West.