water

July kicks off the busiest time of the year for our city. Schools out, the temps are soaring in the valleys to the west and east of us, the roads are free of snow, and visitors from all over the world are getting away to see beautiful places and enjoy the great outdoors. For many of our businesses this is is the best time of the year. For many locals who like to play on the mountain trails and along the beach and eventually need to get to work, this is the hardest time of the year.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE – With heavy traffic expected around Lake Tahoe this long holiday weekend, both California and Nevada highway departments are suspending their roadwork projects.

Caltrans’ construction projects in the City of South Lake Tahoe and along the West Shore of the lake wrapped up work this morning and won’t resume until after the Fourth of July holiday.

The Nevada Department of Transportation’s U.S. 50 Cave Rock tunnel extension project, which completed ahead of schedule last year, has been recognized with an America’s Transportation Award.

The award from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials recognizes the project as the best transportation project under $25 million in the western states for enhancing community and quality of life. The award recognizes the project for enhancing traffic safety and mobility, as well as involving community stakeholders in the project.

The historic winter in Lake Tahoe continues to leave its mark with high water levels leaving limited beach space, causing sensitive areas to be prone to environmental degradation.

The area the public can access along the south shore just got smaller as the California Tahoe Conservancy has announced they will limit public access and temporarily close portions of some beaches to protect sensitive habitat and limit erosion.

Locations where portions of the beach will be closed include the Upper Truckee Marsh and other Conservancy-owned beaches near Lakeview Commons as shown in the photo.

9:30 a.m. update: The area continues to see several earthquakes in this current swarm that started at 2:02 a.m. with a 4.0 earthquake according to the UNR Seismological Lab in Reno. Magnitude numbers have been updated and listed below.

* * *
A series of earthquakes hit north of Donner Lake early Tuesday morning, starting at 2:02 a.m. with a 4.0 quake and a session of following 14 other tremblers over 1.0 magnitude by 5:43 a.m.

All came from an area 10.5 to 11.8 miles North/Northwest of Donner Lake, near Independence Lake.

The time and magnitude as of 8:20 a.m. Tuesday:

EMERGENCY PROJECTS

State Route 89 (El Dorado County) from South Upper Truckee Road to Luther Pass: Motorists can expect one-way traffic control at various locations from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday for dead tree removal work.

U.S. Highway 50 (El Dorado County): The highway is reduced to one lane in each direction at Bridal Veil Falls for slope repair work.

The following 105 businesses took out business licenses with the City of South Lake Tahoe during the months of April and May:

April 3
A GRAVENSTEIN EYELASH EXTENSIONS
PRINT MEDIA LLC

April 4
BAJA FRESH #30324
DHARMA LOVE

Aril 5
CALIFORNIA RENTALS
LC SERVICES

April 6
ILEEN'S CRYSTAL KLEENING
SIERRA ECOTONE SOLUTIONS LLC

April 7
SECURITY PAVING COMPANY INC
TITANIC LONGBOARDS LLC

April 10
BLANCAS EST HOUSE CLEAN
TRUE NORTH RESEARCH

April 11
CLEAR BLUE SERVICE CO
SINK COMBS DETHLEFS

April 12
COZY RAY

April 13
CATHYS QUICK HELP

LAKE TAHOE, Nevada - With the water level rising in Lake Tahoe, new issues have surfaced with the placement of fences at three parcels on the Nevada side that have extended into the lake. During recent drought years, the fences didn't touch water.

One fence was located at the new Tahoe Beach Club in Stateline, another at a private home just north of Cave Rock, and the third at a home in the Elks Point Country Club in Zephyr Cove.

6/22/17 11:00 p.m. update: The Washoe County Sheriff's Office HASTY team has located the body of a woman in Truckee River about two miles east of Crystal Peak Park. It is not confirmed if it is the body of Sarah Duncan who went missing in the same area on Wednesday. The Washoe County Medical Examiner needs to confirm identification.

* * *
Swift water rescue teams from Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District and the Reno Fire Department spend Wednesday afternoon in the Truckee River, searching for a missing woman.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The following are incidents the South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue department responded to 235 calls from May 26 - June 19, 2017.

05/26
10:46 - 1000 block of Al Tahoe Blvd - EMS call, excluding vehicle accident with injury
13:44 - 3700 block of Montreal Rd - Medical assist, assist EMS crew
14:24 - 700 block of Eloise Ave - Electrical wiring/equipment problem, other
15:02 - 2100 block of Lake Tahoe Blvd - EMS call, excluding vehicle accident with injury
20:48 - 3300 block of Lake Tahoe Blvd - Vehicle accident with injuries

EMERGENCY PROJECTS

U.S. Highway 50 (El Dorado County): The highway is reduced to one lane in each direction at Bridal Veil Falls for slope repair work.

U.S. Highway 50 (El Dorado County) at Alder Creek Road: Motorists can expect intermittent one-way traffic control from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 6 a.m. to noon Friday for mudslide removal work.

LAKE TAHOE - The California Tahoe Conservancy Board today authorized $414,074 to the California Department of Parks and Recreation for projects that improve forest health and reduce the risk of wildfire at Tahoe State Recreation Area and Ed Z’Berg Sugar Pine Point State Park. The funding is the first allocation of more than $6.8 million in Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act funds awarded to the Conservancy at last year’s Presidential Summit.

EMERGENCY PROJECTS

U.S. Highway 50 (El Dorado County): The highway is reduced to one lane in each direction at Bridal Veil Falls for slope repair work.

State Route 89 (El Dorado County) from Bliss Memorial State Park to Rubicon Glen Drive: Motorists can expect one-way traffic control at various locations from 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday for dead tree removal work.

The City of South Lake Tahoe boat ramp on at El Dorado Beach will close early during holidays and special events this summer

Holiday and Special Events Schedule
Hours on Thursdays for Live at Lakeview Summer Concerts
The Live at Lakeview Summer Music Concert Series begins on Thursday, June 22, 2017. The summer concert series will occur every Thursday beginning on June 22nd to August 31st from 4:30-8:30. On these Thursday’s the boat ramp will open at 8am and close at 1pm. Boats will need to be off the lake by 1pm.

Hours for 4th of July Holiday

Igniting on June 24, 2007, the Angora Fire rapidly spread to over 3,100 acres, destroying 254 homes, 75 commercial structures and resulting in more than $141 million in damages. In response to this disaster, an Emergency California-Nevada Tahoe Basin Fire Commission was formed to conduct a comprehensive review of the laws, policies and practices that affect the vulnerability of the Tahoe Basin to wildfires.

It’s going to be a paddler’s paradise this summer.

The UCCE Master Gardeners of South Lake Tahoe are having part one (vegetables only) of their 4th annual Plant Sale this Friday, June 9 at the Ski Run Farmers Market from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., or until they sell out of plants. The sale is being held jointly with the Sierra House Elementary School who will be selling student crafted garden art.

SPECIAL EVENT

Motorists can expect northbound State Route 89 to be closed at Spring Creek Road from 6:30-8:30 a.m. on Sunday for “America’s Most Beautiful Bike Ride.”

EMERGENCY PROJECTS

U.S. Highway 50 (El Dorado County): The highway is reduced to one lane in each direction at Bridal Veil Falls for slope repair work.

U.S. Highway 50 (El Dorado County) from Peavine Ridge Road to Hazel Valley Road: Westbound motorists can expect the #2 lane closed from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Wednesday for drainage work.

Work had recently resumed on the new rehabilitation facility for Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care (LTWC) on Al Tahoe Blvd. Thieves stopped by last week and helped themselves to several hundred feed of copper line from the South Lake Tahoe project.

A contractor was connecting the sewer line to the South Tahoe Public Utility District (STPUD) connection at Pioneer Village 900 fee away. In order to locate water, electrical and sewer lines in the future, contractors now bury a copper wire just above the line making the task easier should it be needed.

Summer programs offered by the City of South Lake Tahoe Parks & Recreation Department will be the focus of a kick-off party on Saturday, June 3 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Recreation & Swim Complex.

They are gearing up for another summer season full of adventure, learning, fun and great memories. The event is free and designed to highlight summer programs, introduce recreation instructors and provide tours of the complex in a fun and festive environment.

Whole tree removal will take place near Fallen Leaf Campground for the next month as part of the U.S. Forest Service's healthy forest program in the Lake Tahoe Basin.

The public is being asked to avoid that area during operations due to hazardous conditions associated with heavy equipment, falling trees, limb removal and trees being cut into sections.

Work in this area will stop around July 1, 2017, and any unfinished work will resume after Labor Day.

The work area along Fallen Leaf Lake Road off of SR-89 could be hazardous even when work crews are not present so use caution.

The snow is melting, water is flowing, and wildfire fuels are growing. Despite all the moisture, the wildfire threat remains a concern. Preparing your home and community now is more important than ever. June is “Wildfire Awareness Month” in the Lake Tahoe Basin, and members of the Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team are continuing last year’s campaign by asking all Tahoe residents and visitors to “Think First to Keep Tahoe Fire Safe”.

The Coast Guard reminds boaters to exercise caution and safe boating practices while on the water, including rivers and Lake Tahoe while enjoying the upcoming Memorial Day weekend.

All boaters and beach goers are encouraged to be aware of boat traffic, prepare for potential hazards and keep advised of weather changes through the National Weather Service. Winds are supposed to be calm on Lake Tahoe this weekend, one should always check.

1.6 million Americans will hit the roads this weekend according to the American Automobile Association (AAA), and because of this, Caltrans is alerting motorists to anticipate delays on area roadways as motorists make their way to their Memorial Day weekend destinations.