tahoe basin

Geotours of the Lake Tahoe basin will highlight environmentally friendly activities during the Tahoe Geotourism Expo held September 7 - 8, 2013. Participants can 17 different tours including an Upper Truckee River kayak tour, an Al Tahoe Heritage Walk, a Tahoe Photo Tour and Wild Mustangs in the Meadow. For more information, click on the tour title below.

Saturday, September 7

Birds of the Wetland -Free 3 hour guided tour of the Upper Truckee marsh.

Update 9/1/13 9:00 am: South Lake Tahoe has grey skies this morning but they are due to a combination of cloud cover and a little smoke. Air Quality is listed as "good." The Rim Fire is 40% contained and has burned 222,777 acres. There were some spot fires that broke out over night due to winds. The heavy fuels are experiencing complete combustion. The containment date announced on the fire website yesterday is incorrect as is still officially September 20.

The love and support of Lake Tahoe was on full display at the Tahoe Fund annual Founders Circle dinner on Sunday August 18. They raised more than $300,000 for the organization and four Signature Projects around the Lake. Tahoe Fund donors were joined by Senators Dianne Feinstein and Harry Reid and Governors Jerry Brown and Brian Sandoval, as well as special surprise guest Vice President Al Gore, as the public and private communities joined together to celebrate the work of the Tahoe Fund to restore and improve the Lake Tahoe environment.

The 25th Annual Lake of the Sky Airshow has been cancelled for this Saturday, August 24th due to the air quality conditions which have been impacted by the two large fires outside of the Lake Tahoe basin. Also canceled was Sunday's Young Eagles Flights.

Another round of thunderstorms will develop Wednesday afternoon and evening over the Lake Tahoe Basin and eastern portions of Alpine County as low pressure moves north along the California coast, the National Weather Service in Reno reports. Much of the region is under a flash flood watch.

It has been 17 years since President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore stood on the shores of Lake Tahoe and issued a challenge. They urged the frequently fractious perspectives in the region to come together in support of the restoration of Lake Tahoe.

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency is marking this year’s Lake Tahoe Summit by highlighting the Environmental Improvement Program’s 15 years of achievement restoring and protecting Lake Tahoe’s fragile ecosystem.

Launched at the 1997 Presidential Forum at Lake Tahoe by then President Bill Clinton, and Vice President Al Gore, the Environmental Improvement Program (EIP) is a partnership of more than 50 federal, state, and local agencies, private interests, and the Washoe Tribe.

From Tahoe’s mountaintops to the lake’s sandy bottom, scientists from the University of Nevada, Reno continue to study and find solutions to the breadth of issues that face the entire Lake Tahoe Basin. Their research is making a tangible contribution to the decisions, policies and practices that guide the basin’s environmental health.

While clarity improved at Lake Tahoe for a second straight year in 2012, long-term trends show that climate change is impacting the Lake Tahoe Basin with drier years, less precipitation, higher lake temperatures and projected lower lake levels.

These conclusions are found within the lake's annual health exam,"Tahoe: State of the Lake Report 2013," released today by the Tahoe Environmental Research Center at the University of California, Davis.

Nevada Senator Harry Reid today co-sponsored, along with Senator Dean Heller (R-NV), and Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act that was introduced today by Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA). The Lake Tahoe Restoration Act continues the federal commitment to Lake Tahoe by authorizing $415 million over 10 years to improve Lake Tahoe’s water clarity, reduce risks from catastrophic wildfires, combat invasive species and restore and protect the environment in the Lake Tahoe Basin.

The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit will host a field trip on Friday, August 2, to observe progress on the Upper Truckee River Reach 5 Restoration Project.

The project will replace the existing stream channel with a new channel that is more stable and is connected to the adjacent floodplain, which will provide a better aquatic habitat, support a healthier meadow ecosystem, and reduce the amount of fine sediment that reaches Lake Tahoe.

The Tahoe Fund, the first and only nonprofit in the Tahoe Basin dedicated to raising money for environmental improvement projects, announced Wednesday the appointment of Timothy Cashman as chair of the board of directors.

The Tahoe Fund is kicking off its 2013 fundraising season with the announcement of four 2013 Signature Projects that will help restore Lake Tahoe clarity and improve recreation in the Basin.

The projects include beach improvements at Sand Harbor State Park, Asian Clam control in Emerald Bay, a mile of bike trail along the West Shore, and a new bridge across Angora Creek in the Washoe Meadows State Park. Interested donors can learn more about these projects on the Tahoe Fund website here.

Lake Tahoe Community College’s summer lineup includes many brand-new classes that educate and enlighten while entertaining learners. Students can earn college credits while studying a variety of subjects, from the roots of rock n’ roll to the fundamentals of food and wine pairings. Classes begin July 1, and registering early guarantees students a spot.

Here is a sampling of new summer classes LTCC is offering:

UPDATE: Beginning Monday, July 1, fire restrictions will go into effect in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Campfires and charcoal barbecues will be restricted to designated recreation sites, and other fire-related activities will be prohibited until the end of fire season.

“Weather patterns this winter and spring are similar to conditions in 2007, the year of the Angora Fire,” said Fire Prevention Officer, Beth Brady. “Even with the rain we have received, at this point, it won’t alleviate this summer’s high risk of wildfires.”

The Lake Tahoe Community College Foundation’s second annual Taste of Gold fundraiser will be Saturday, July 13 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the College’s Ledbetter Terrace and Demonstration Garden.

It’s the biggest fundraiser of the year for the LTCC Foundation, with proceeds going directly to support academic programs and student scholarships and achievement.

The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit will begin work on the Upper Truckee River Reach 5 Restoration Project on Monday, June 24.

The project will replace the existing stream channel with a new channel that is more stable and is connected to the adjacent floodplain, which will provide a better aquatic habitat, support a healthier meadow ecosystem, and reduce the amount of fine sediment that reaches Lake Tahoe.

Does your business or home have inadequate Internet service? Or maybe you don't have Internet service at all.
The Gold Country Broadband Consortium is working to provide choices for affordable Internet service throughout a four-county region, including the California side of the Lake Tahoe Basin.

The Consortium is hosting a meeting on Monday, June 24, to hear residents' and business' concerns about Internet service in the South Lake Tahoe and Meyers areas. The meeting will be from 6:45 to 8 p.m. at the South Lake Tahoe Recreation Complex, 1180 Rufus Allen Blvd. (Aspen Room).

The Douglas County Board of Commissioners will consider approval of a new area plan for Lake Tahoe’s South Shore on Thursday, June 2. The Douglas County Area Plan is the first to be proposed since the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency adopted the Regional Plan Update in December 2012.

With tinder-dry conditions after one of the driest winters on record, California fire officials will suspend burning permits along the West Slope and Eldorado National Forest beginning June 17. Fire restrictions in the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit will begin July 1.

CAL FIRE’s Amador-El Dorado- Sacramento Unit will suspend door-yard burning permits and the Forest Service will begin fire restrictions in portions of Eldorado National Forest.

Big Blue Concierge of South Lake Tahoe just released their “Concierge in Your Pocket” app for locals, visitors and vacation home owners in the Lake Tahoe basin. The app is full of everything one needs to enjoy the area: hiking and biking trails, historical venues, dog friendly locations, homeowner services such as plumbers and electricians, restaurants, happy hours, discounts, shops, rentals, wedding vendors and much, much more. There is even a local’s point of view blog on the app.

U.S. Forest Service fuels management crews will resume prescribed fire operations on the East Shore of Lake Tahoe beginning Thursday, May 30. Crews expect to burn approximately one to three acres west of the Spooner Summit area. Operations are scheduled to last through the day, weather and conditions permitting.

Join UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center for an Open House at the Tahoe City Field Station (Historic Hatchery) at 2400 Lake Forest Road from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 15. Visitors can tour the historic building, talk to TERC scientists about their work, and learn something new about Lake Tahoe. Local garden clubs will be on hand to give plant selection and gardening advice, and Red Truck of Truckee will sell food and beverages.

The Lake Tahoe Aquatic Invasive Species Coordination Committee will host a free public forum on Thursday, May 23, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Inn By The Lake, located at 3300 Lake Tahoe Boulevard in South Lake Tahoe, Calif.