Programs & Resources: For Homeowners

Protect Your Drinking Water
By Sarah Mae Tone, IVGID

Local water suppliers at Lake Tahoe are dedicated to providing clean and safe drinking water to our communities. The Nevada Tahoe Water Supplier Association is a united voice advocating the protection of Lake Tahoe from contaminants that are potentially harmful to our health.

Nationally, water suppliers are challenged by sudden changes in pollutant types and quantities entering drinking water sources. Nevada entities, including Kingsbury General Improvement District (GID), Edgewood Water Company, Glenbrook Water Company, Round Hill GID, Douglas County, and Incline Village GID, have met informally over the last 10 years to exchange technical water supply information. In forums, the group discussed new legislation that recommends protecting the water source as an effective way to defend against harmful drinking water pollutants. Dan St. John, IVGID public works director, stated, “It is much more efficient to protect the source than to treat water after contamination.” The group stresses the importance of considering the overall quality of Lake Tahoe’s water in addition to protecting its famous clarity.

Local residents and visitors can help keep our drinking water clean by reducing pollutants that enter Lake Tahoe. Simple changes in daily activities help reduce pollutant loads. These include practicing sanitary boating and jet skiing, using provided restroom facilities, picking up after your pet, conserving water and properly disposing of household hazardous waste. In general, consider the source first. Don’t let anything get into your water that you wouldn’t want to drink!

For more tips or general information visit www.nevadatahoewater.org

last modified: April 12 2005

Citizen Monitoring Efforts Continue
Marine Research & Education Inc. Creates South Lake Tahoe Clean Water Team

Thanks to funding through the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board and support from the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, Marine Research & Education (MR&E) is forming a South Lake Tahoe Clean Water Team. The first meeting of this team was held on July 29 along the banks of Trout Creek. Current participants include children from the Boys & Girls Club and local middle schools, teachers, and neighborhood leaders of the Backyard Conservation Program.

The group plans to monitor Bijou Creek following storms, Lake sites monthly, and neighborhoods in South Lake Tahoe to investigate Best Management Practices on residential lots. MR&E will also be facilitating discussion groups among interested participants. Monitoring will continue on a monthly basis. For more information, contact MR&E, (530) 544-7409.

Other monitoring efforts in the region include monthly stream monitoring in Incline Village with the Incline Clean Water Team, summer monitoring of aquatic invertebrates with the Truckee River Aquatic Monitors, and the annual Snapshot Day event.

Incline Village Clean Water Team Will Continue to Host Monthly Monitoring

Incline Village Clean Water Team will meet on the fourth Thursday of every month during 2005 at the Incline Village General Improvement District (IVGID) Public Works Building, 1220 Sweetwater Road, Incline Village.

Become an active supporter in the fight to keep our water clean. The Incline Village Clean Water Team collects stream information monthly, which is used to help keep our water clean and clear. The team monitors 11 stream sites located on Third, Deer, Incline, Mill and Rosewood Creeks. Volunteers collect physical and chemical stream data and additional samples for lab analysis. This is a fantastic opportunity to learn about water quality issues while taking direct action to help save Lake Tahoe. No experience is necessary. To volunteer, contact Domi Fellers, IVGID, (775) 832-1284 or domi_fellers@ivgid.org.

Snapshot Day 2004 Report Released

The 2004 Lake Tahoe and Truckee Watershed Annual Snapshot Day Report was released at a volunteer appreciation dinner held Dec. 10 at the D. W. Reynolds Community Non-Profit Center in Incline Village.

University of California, Davis researcher Alexander A. Rabidoux (with S. Geoffrey Schladow, Ph.D.) presented the results of particle analysis that was conducted. (This report is titled Particle Analysis Results for 2004 Snapshot Day at Lake Tahoe.) This year was the second year that additional water samples were collected from Tahoe tributaries for particle size and elemental analysis by UC Davis. This data will aid in the development and testing of the UC Davis Lake Tahoe Clarity Model.

last modified: April 12 2005

Be On the Lookout for Invasive Weeds
As invasive weeds continue to proliferate at alarming rates in the Basin, it is essential that we undertake a Basin-wide effort to stop the spread. Developing community partnerships and coordinating management efforts will allow us to tackle the economic and ecological problems associated with noxious weed infestations more effectively.

Interested agencies, biologists, and community groups have recently joined to form an invasive weed coordinating group that is committed to sharing information on the management and control of invasive weeds within the Lake Tahoe Basin. To join the effort, call Sue Donaldson, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, (775) 784-4848.

last modified: April 29 2002

Developing an Interagency Structure for Improving EIP Implementation
The concept of people working together to improve the Lake Tahoe Basin is not new. For many years, groups in the region have coordinated efforts to resolve issues that threaten to erode the beautiful environment that so many have treasured for centuries.

In the late 90s, key decision makers in the Basin renewed their commitment to work collectively to repair past damage caused by human activity in the area. What resulted was a new emphasis on making the Environmental Improvement Program (EIP) a reality at Lake Tahoe.

The EIP is inherently an interagency program, which means that many government agencies in the Basin must work together like never before. While the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) is the lead planning agency, other implementing, funding and regulatory agencies bear the brunt of actual project implementation. An interagency structure or communication framework parallel to each agency's internal management structure, is necessary in order to optimize success.

For many years, resource professionals from different agencies have been working together in small teams called interagency working groups. These groups have tackled a wide range of environmental issues, from forest health to scenic quality to the use of sand on winter roads.

The EIP, however, is a much more complex program than the Basin has ever seen. Implementing it requires interagency communication and coordination that, with the possible exceptions of the restoration of the Great Lakes and the Chesapeake Bay, has never been accomplished in the history of the environmental field. The EIP includes more than 800 different environmental improvement projects such as road improvements, stormwater runoff treatment facilities, and habitat restoration. These projects will be funded, permitted, constructed and maintained by a cadre of federal, regional, state and local government agencies.

With careful coordination among agencies, jurisdictions are able to plan projects together, which is especially important given our short building season. This type of collaboration results in fewer traffic impacts to residents and visitors, fewer project delays and better cost control.

In an effort to implement this necessary cooperative structure, staff from 10 different agencies, and from different levels within the agencies met at a workshop in November 2001. The workshop was very successful at laying out the steps to improve our interagency coordination, and at getting commitment from participants to make that improvement happen. Although this improved interagency structure is new to the Basin agencies, there is a real commitment to making it happen. Successful communication is difficult, both for individuals and for agencies. But we all understand that the EIP is our best chance to save Lake Tahoe.

last modified: April 29 2002

Fire Safe Councils
Although Tahoe Basin residents have avoided devastating wildfires for many years, the wildfire threat is getting stronger. The threat is so strong that most of the communities in the Basin are listed on the Federal Register for Communities-At-Risk and/or each state’s list of threatened communities.

Continuing population shifts from urban to rural areas have increased the danger of wildfire throughout the Tahoe Basin. At the same time, recent below-average precipitation levels and a tremendous accumulation of wildland fuels have created a hazardous environment that could host a catastrophic wildfire. Wildfire has the potential to destroy lives, property, and natural resources within the Basin.

Last year’s Gondola Fire was a scare for Tahoe Basin residents, but it was just a taste of the damage that wildfires can cause. The taste was bitter enough to leave citizens wondering how to protect their lives and property from future fires. Many have sought the assistance of one of two fire safe councils serving the Tahoe Basin. The Nevada Fire Safe Council is working with residents in the Nevada portion of the Basin, and the Tahoe Basin Fire Safe Council is assisting those on the California side. These are just two of over 120 fire safe councils nationwide.

Nevada Fire Safe Council

The Nevada Fire Safe Council evolved from growing recognition that the threat of wildfire to human life and property has been escalating rapidly. To address this issue, Cooperative Extension spearheaded a conference titled “Living With Fire…The First Fire Forum” in Carson City in June 1999. In attendance were individuals representing a broad range of interests. Following intense discussions, a resolution was adopted calling for “the establishment of a statewide fire safe council to provide support throughout Nevada to help make homes, neighborhoods, and communities fire safe.” Following the conference, Ed Smith of Cooperative Extension headed up the effort to convene an organizing committee, and on Aug. 4, 2000 the Nevada Fire Safe Council was approved as a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit corporation.

Currently the council’s board of directors is comprised of 13 members elected at a general membership meeting held each spring. The board has one paid employee who serves as primary staff and principle spokesperson for the council. Since its inception, over 400 individuals have joined the Nevada Fire Safe Council as individual members.

The Nevada Fire Safe Council’s primary mission is to foster the organization of members into local chapters to promote defensible space, complete pre-fire planning activities, and implement hazardous fuel reduction projects on private properties to increase the survivability of threatened communities. Currently the council has 14 chapters across Nevada, with four organized in the Tahoe Basin: (1) Glenbrook,. (2) Hidden Woods, (3) Incline Village, and (4) Tyrolean Village.

The Nevada Fire Safe Council invites any group that supports its purpose and principles to become a formally affiliated chapter. Elwood Miller , executive coordinator, can be reached at (775) 322-2413 or firesafe@renonevada.net.

Tahoe Basin Fire Safe Council

In 1995, the Tahoe ReGreen Project was created to address the extraordinary threat of wildfire in the Basin. The project was successful for several years, but lost funding in 2001. Former leaders from the Tahoe ReGreen Project, namely local fire chiefs, met to determine how to continue the efforts of the Tahoe ReGreen Project. The solution was to create a fire safe council for the California portion of the Tahoe Basin that would serve as a counterpart to the Nevada Fire Safe Council.

The Tahoe Basin Fire Safe Council (TBFSC) will work to raise fire awareness, identify fire hazards, develop projects to reduce the hazards, and secure funding to complete the work. Future projects may include community fire plans, hazardous vegetation removal services, senior and disabled assistance programs, defensible space improvement programs, and many others.

Currently, the council’s Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) is getting the Council ready to reach out to the public. The committee is comprised of 13 members representing the City of South Lake Tahoe Fire Department, Lake Valley Fire Protection District, Meeks Bay Fire Protection District, North Tahoe Fire Protection District, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, USDA Forest Service, California Department of Parks and Recreation, League to Save Lake Tahoe, California Tahoe Conservancy, Kiwanis, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, Sierra Pacific Power Company, local businesses, and concerned homeowners.

The Tahoe Basin Fire Safe Council was made possible by the Community-based Wildfire Prevention Grants Program of the Sacramento Regional Foundation. The funding was provided to the Sacramento Regional Foundation by the Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management as part of the National Fire Plan. The plan was conceived as a result of the catastrophic 2000 fire season. It calls for increased management of private developed lands that interface with public forests. The grant and the Tahoe Basin Fire Safe Council are administered by the Tahoe Resource Conservation District.

Individuals or groups interested in becoming involved or learning more about the Tahoe Basin Fire Safe Council are encouraged to call Jennifer Arrowsmith, (530) 543-1501, Ext. 112, or e-mail
tahoebasinfiresafe@yahoo.com.

About the Nevada Fire Safe Council Executive Coordinator

Elwood L. Miller, Ph.D. has been a professional forester for nearly 40 years. His career spans timber management and fire suppression positions with the USDA Forest Service and 30 years as a forestry professor and administrator with the University of Nevada, Reno. While at UNR, Miller served as Associate Dean of the College of Agriculture and Associate Director of Cooperative Extension. He has received numerous recognitions and awards including the university’s highest teacher award and selection as one of 23 outstanding graduates in the 75-year history of Northern Arizona University. In January 2002 Miller accepted his current position as executive coordinator of the Nevada Fire Safe Council. In this role he is helping urban interface communities to increase their survivability in the face of a growing threat from wildfire.

About the Tahoe Basin Fire Safe Council Administrator

Jennifer Arrowsmith is a recent graduate of Cal Poly State University, where she earned a degree in Forestry and Natural Resources. Arrowsmith’s studies of forestry were supplemented by work experience as a student assistant for the Forestry Department Head, an intern for the Dean of Agriculture, and a forestry aid for 18 months with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF). In March 2003, Arrowsmith was selected to serve as the Tahoe Basin Fire Safe Council administrator. In this role, she is charged with the responsibility of providing management for activities related to the development and maintenance of the Tahoe Basin Fire Safe Council.

last modified: August 30 2004

Toadflax: It’s Not Just a Funny Name!
The sun is shining, the ground is warm, and weeds are growing, especially the toadflaxes. Nope, no relation to amphibians! These two yellow-flowering weeds are spreading fast within the basin. Dalmatian toadflax (Linaria genistifolia spp. dalmatica), an attractive plant that grows to 3 feet tall, has heart-shaped leaves that clasp the stems. The yellow flowers resemble those of snapdragons, and have an orange-bearded throat. Yellow toadflax (Linaria vulgaris) tends to be shorter and has long narrow leaves that are lance-shaped. The flowers are similar to those of Dalmatian toadflax, and the color has led to the common name “butter-and-eggs.” Both species are aggressive perennials with extensive, deep root systems. They reproduce both by horizontal or creeping rootstocks, and by seed. As a mature Dalmatian toadflax plant can produce up to 500,000 seeds per year, infestations may spread rapidly. To make the matter worse, the two species can hybridize to create an intermediate species. Control is difficult, but hand-pulling, removing as much of the root as possible, can be used on young plants in small infestations before they go to seed. Bag the plants securely and dispose of them in the trash. Chemical control is complicated by genetic variability of the plants. If you spot these weeds, please call Sue Donaldson, (775) 784-4848, to report a location and receive additional control recommendations.

The California Invasive Weed Awareness Coalition (CALIWAC) is sponsoring a "decision makers" Invasive Weed Tour originating from the State Capitol on July 25 as part of California Invasive Weed Awareness Week. The target audience is legislators (or their capitol legislative staffers); water districts (in Sacramento region and statewide water associations); and state agency leaders who may need additional education on invasive weed issues. Sacramento Weed Warriors, CALIWAC Educational Committee, California Exotic Pest Plant Council, and Lake Tahoe Basin Weed Management Association are organizing the tour.

last modified: August 30 2004

Environmental Improvement Program Success, Fall 2003
Projects listed in the Environmental Improvement Program document are available online at: http://www.trpa.org/eipdocument/intro.html.

Lower Kingsbury Erosion Control Project

This restoration project is being constructed in the residential neighborhoods just above the commercial area at the foot of Kingsbury Grade. The goal is to reduce the amount of erosion that occurs along residential streets and roadside ditches during rainstorm or snowmelt events. The drainage improvements of this project are designed to reduce the amount of sediment that enters Burke Creek and Edgewood Creek, which flow through the area and into Lake Tahoe.

How the Project Works: In most of the older neighborhoods and urban areas, roadside ditches and street drains were installed to carry storm runoff directly into the nearest streams and lakes. Project engineers studied the streets in this hilly neighborhood, and determined that several of them will produce less sediment if eroding shoulders and ditches are replaced with curbs, storm drains and culverts. Where steep, eroding slopes exist in the street right-of-way, concrete block retaining walls are being built to stabilize the soil (see photo above left). The urban storm water that enters street drains will be partially cleaned by routing it through engineered underground filtration vaults (see photo above right), which are being installed at the foot of drainage systems to remove coarse sediment before discharge of the water to the creeks. The sand and gravel in these vaults will be cleaned out by the Kingsbury General Improvement District as part of annual maintenance. Residents can help prevent water pollution by remembering never to dump any waste material down storm drains.

Restoration of Stream Environment Zones (SEZ): Stream environment zones on publicly owned lots are being modified in some cases to provide more natural filtration of storm water by detention in flat, shallow, well-vegetated basins. Perhaps the most dramatic restoration of a SEZ will be the reconstruction of a channelized section of Burke Creek, just below Chimney Rock Road. The new channel will be carefully constructed with meanders, pools, riffles, and small (1-foot) cascades, meant to function just as a natural channel would function. Boulders and logs will be incorporated into the stream bed and banks, and native topsoil and mulch will be returned to allow good growing conditions for all-important riparian (streamside) plants.

Van Sickle California/Nevada Bi-state Park

Nevada Division of State Parks, California Tahoe Conservancy and California State Parks have begun a master planning process which will result in the first bi-state park between Nevada and California. The planning phase will be followed by phased park construction, anticipated to begin in 2005.

Thirteen years ago, Jack Van Sickle donated 542 acres to the State of Nevada, specifically for a new park facility. Early planning studies identified an additional 150 acres in California adjacent to the Nevada property, which would expand the park and preserve the 140-year-old Van Sickle Barn in its current location.

It is possible that the future Henry Van Sickle California/Nevada State Park may offer traditional state park activities, such as trailhead, parking, picnicking, camping, and group use facilities. There is also a vast interpretive potential since the park is located in a remote natural area untouched by development and has an array of historic structures, forested areas and wildlife. The area provides suitable habitat for northern goshawk, American marten, California spotted owl, black bear, mule deer, blue grouse, pileated woodpecker, willow flycatcher, and osprey.

last modified: August 30 2004

Regulators Say Protecting Tahoe Basin from Fire a Priority
Of all the environmental threats facing the Lake Tahoe Basin, regulators now agree the greatest is fire. The governing board of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) told its staff in December 2003 to alter its work plan for the year to fund forest-thinning projects.

Since the bistate agency was created in 1969, many of its programs have concentrated on reducing motor vehicle emissions, erosion and runoff. But Coe Swobe, a former Nevada lawmaker who helped establish the agency and now serves as Nevada's at-large appointee to its governing board, said the top priority must be prevention of a catastrophic wildfire.

Carl Hasty, TRPA's deputy director, noted that a shift toward a wildfire emphasis "does not come without some cost" and said some programs that now are a priority might have to be temporarily sidelined.

In the Tahoe Basin, more than 8,300 acres along the boundary forests and urban areas are targeted by TRPA and other agencies for thinning, controlled burns or other fire prevention efforts. Over a five-year period, cost of such treatment would range between $16.6 million and $26.5 million. Previous thinning of dead, insect-ravaged stands of timber have taken place on federal land in Lake Tahoe's backcountry, but the new effort should focus on property closest to communities, much of it privately owned, Hasty said.

last modified: August 30 2004

Integrating Hazardous Fuel Reduction with Ecological Restoration
By John Cobourn

This year, an unprecedented number of natural resource managers and planners are working closely with Lake Tahoe’s fire protection districts to integrate fire prevention practices with efforts to restore the ecosystem of the Tahoe Basin. While public awareness of fire danger has been growing for years, last fall’s disastrous wildfires in suburban Southern California focused national attention on the need to address unsafe conditions in neighborhoods close to wildlands.

At Lake Tahoe, interagency groups have studied this issue since at least 1992, when the Forest Health Consensus Group began addressing the unnatural condition of Tahoe’s forests. There are two main reasons why Tahoe’s forests are unhealthy. First, the original old-growth forests at Lake Tahoe were systematically logged 1870 - 1900, to provide timber for the vast mine system constructed in Virginia City during the famous Comstock silver boom. After the clearcutting of Tahoe’s forests ended, the “second growth” forest that grew back had many small trees growing close together. As the forest matured over the next 100 years, the trees grew tall, but they were too densely stocked for all to remain healthy during periods of less than normal precipitation. During droughts such as the one of the late 1980s and early 1990s, the trees competed for scarce moisture. Many were too weak to resist attacks by bark beetles and other forest diseases. As a result, Tahoe forests have suffered from tree die-offs for the past decade.

The other factor causing unhealthy forest conditions has been our vigorous suppression of all wildfires for the past 100 years. Forest fires were relatively common at Tahoe before European-Americans arrived. They usually burned slowly along the forest floor, consuming dead branches and weak trees and shrubs, and leaving the large trees alive. These “low intensity” wildfires are actually good for our forest ecosystem. Our forest management agencies are reintroducing such fires each year as “controlled burns.” Such practices can clear out the high-hazard dead fuel that has accumulated on the forest floor for decades.

New Forest Management Plans Underway

In late 2003, after catastrophic wildfires decimated much of Southern California, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) Governing Board directed its staff to make forest thinning and fuels reduction projects a top priority. By February 2004, U.S. Sen. Diane Feinstein, D-Calif., and California Assemblyman Tim Leslie, R-Tahoe City, had requested a share of the Federal Healthy Forest Restoration Act money to fund increased forest thinning and prescribed burning projects at Lake Tahoe.

As part of this effort, TRPA is working closely with the fire protection districts in the basin to gather their input in the form of community fire plans, and to merge these plans into a basin-wide fire plan in the summer of 2004. The fire safe councils on the Nevada and California shores are working with the Lake Tahoe Environmental Education Coalition (LTEEC) and others to inform the public about these efforts and encourage public involvement in the plans.

What Residents Can Do at Home

What is good for the Tahoe community and environment at the forest level is also beneficial to private property owners. Wildfire experts have been encouraging homeowners for more than 10 years to implement defensible space practices around their structures to increase their “survivability” in a wildfire. This year more than ever, education about defensible space is being combined with education about best management practices (BMPs), which protect the lake’s water quality and ecosystem. Rather than making two separate plans that might not be totally consistent, homeowners will save money and time by planning and installing their BMPs and defensible space activities together.

Members of the Partners in Conservation (PIC) coalition, who assist private property owners in implementing BMPs, are currently meeting with fire protection districts to agree on ways to work together.

The Home Landscaping Guide for Lake Tahoe, which is given out free during site evaluations, has a detailed chapter on defensible space that makes the point that fire prevention is not at odds with erosion control practices. In the “lean, clean and green” space, extending 30 feet from structures, shrubs can be cut down without removing the roots. In addition low-growing, low-fire-hazard plants can be irrigated, and mulch and new plants can cover bare soil. For people who want to maintain a small patch of turf, this is the best place for it. A one-inch to two-inch layer of pine or fir needles can be left on bare ground as a mulch to decay over time. Property managers should never rake all needles, leaving only bare soil, as this creates a serious erosion hazard. However, within 5 feet of structures, fire districts recommend use of a noncombustible mulch, such as gravel or river rock.

Why Integrate Fire Prevention and Water Quality Protection?

We should educate people to look at several issues at once. If we fail to address the hazardous fuel loading in our forests, the basin could be ravaged by a high intensity wildfire that could kill most of the trees for thousands of acres. Such a catastrophic wildfire could also burn many homes and lead to a large increase of polluted runoff into the lake. Nobody wants to see that happen. On the other hand, there is also a danger that if we become too intensely focused on fire prevention, we could lose sight of the need to restore the whole ecosystem at Tahoe. If we pour all our money into fuel reduction, even far away from our neighborhoods, we could actually reduce valuable wildlife habitat. If we remove too much vegetative ground cover and rake pine needles down to bare soil, we will create polluted runoff that flows down our street drains to degrade the lake.

For homeowners, one reason to combine defensible space and BMP education is the practicality of addressing both needs at once. If you can combine the installation of required BMPs with the installation of effective defensible space around your home, you can save time, trouble and money. There are agencies to help make this process easy for you. To request a free BMP site evaluation, you can call the Tahoe Resource Conservation District, (530) 543-1501, ext.6; or the Nevada Tahoe Conservation District, (775) 786-7223, ext.1. For commercial or multi-family residential properties, call the Erosion Control Team, (775)588-4547, ext. 202.

last modified: August 30 2004

Environmental Improvement Program Success, Spring 2004
Many agencies are working together to help implement the Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program (EIP) to protect our spectacular lake. In Nevada, many beneficial and attractive projects are being completed each year. This unprecedented effort will help protect our environment.

State Route 28 Improvement Project
The Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) plans to construct water quality, fish passage, and drainage improvements this summer in Incline Village along State Route 28 (SR 28) from the Ponderosa Ranch to Mt. Rose Highway. The $6 million project will control the sources of sediment and other pollutants to Lake Tahoe. The project includes reseeding slopes to prevent erosion and improving road drainage using engineered curbs and gutters, drop inlets and silt traps along the highway. Underground pretreatment vaults will capture coarse sediment and separate oil and grease from storm water before releasing it to flow toward the lake.

Where Third Creek passes under SR 28, a 12-foot by 7-foot concrete box culvert will replace two 72-inch metal culverts. It will be designed to improve fish passage up the creek. In addition, IVGID will restore portions of Third Creek on the golf course by replacing culverts with bridges to improve fish spawning habitat.

A meandering pedestrian path will be constructed on the south side of SR 28 from Country Club Drive to Southwood Blvd. Most construction will occur nightly, 6 p.m. - 6 a.m., Sunday night through Friday morning. The SR 28 bridge over Third Creek will be built in September and October. For details, contact Kerri Williams-Lanza, NDOT, (775) 888-7534.

Rosewood Creek Restoration and Realignment
This EIP project, described in last summer’s update, has now been completed. Since new vegetation needs to become established along the banks, hikers are urged to stay out of this sensitive area.

Incline Village Unit 4/Ponderosa Project
Washoe County Public Works will reduce sources of sediment in residential areas by stabilizing steep slopes and eroding ditches along roadways and treating runoff in detention basins where pollutants can settle.

Nevada State Parks Visitor Center at Sand Harbor
The new visitor center at Sand Harbor State Park will be completed in 2005.

Private Property Owner Contribution: BMPs to Protect Water Quality

These large public EIP projects will not be successful without private property owner implementation of Best Management Practices (BMPs). Homeowners are responsible for infiltrating the water on their properties. If you have not applied for a free BMP site evaluation, and your home was built prior to 1987, please call to schedule a free site visit:

Nevada Residential: Contact NTCD, (775) 586-7223, ext. 1
California Residential: Contact TRCD, (530) 543-1501, ext. 110
Multifamily or Commercial: Contact TRPA, (775) 588-4547, ext. 205

last modified: August 30 2004

Community invited to Fire Plan Meetings
Tahoe-area citizens and leaders are encouraged to attend public meetings regarding the fire plans that will be written for the Fallen Leaf Fire Department and the North Tahoe, Meeks Bay and Lake Valley fire protection districts. During the meetings, officials from Davey Resource Group (DRG) will present an overview of the fire plan project, methodology to be used, and a summary of what will be included in each district's plan. DRG and its subcontractor, Native Communities Development Corp., will design and conduct a wildfire risk and hazard assessment and mitigation plan for each fire district. The final product will include assessments and mitigation proposals for the areas and adjacent public lands within the districts. Project officials are seeking citizen input, concerns and expectations for the fire plans.

Public input is critical to the creation of fire plans that will benefit each fire district. The second round of public meetings are scheduled for July 8, 9 and 10 (see Calendar Pages 7 - 8). The final public meetings, during which the final version of the fire plans will be presented, are tentatively planned for Aug. 2 and 3. For more information, contact Susan DiMauro, public information officer, Davey Resource Group, (505) 681-2358, or Jennifer Arrowsmith, Tahoe Basin Fire Safe Council, (530) 543-1501, ext. 112.

last modified: August 30 2004

Lake Tahoe Deserves a Full-Scale Watershed Outreach Campaign
TRPA has recently been engaged in research to determine educational needs and strategies to help us reach our common goal of attaining Tahoe’s Environmental Thresholds. This background information is needed to develop a successful local watershed outreach campaign. A comprehensive outreach strategy was rated as one of the highest priority projects in the 2003 survey.

LTEEC partners, including TRPA, have been working for years to increase coordinated planning for reaching audiences with consistent, science-based messages. LTEEC staff and it’s partners continue to set objectives in a variety of educational arenas, from citizens monitoring and K-12 programs to BMP Retrofit, scientific research symposia, fire prevention, and outreach about the Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program (EIP).

However, funding constraints have prevented a full-scale watershed outreach campaign from being conducted in the Tahoe Basin. While thousands of dollars are spent each year on worthy research and capital improvement EIP projects, funding for outreach education remains minimal. Unfortunately, there are not many grant sources that will fund outreach and education efforts alone, so funding for these programs must be pieced together. Too often, grant funding is sporadic, and when funding gaps occur or funding runs out, important, effective, educational efforts are discontinued.

Lake Tahoe’s environmental educators are a diverse group. They include hydrologists, soil scientists, botanists, transportation engineers, wildlife specialists, fire prevention specialists, restoration specialists, science teachers, geography teachers, and elementary school teachers. They work for schools, universities, agencies, non-profits, businesses, and advocacy organizations. For many, outreach education is a small part of their job or something they contribute on their own time.

While these dedicated individuals are grateful for the many small grants they have received over the years, they seek a more predictable and sustainable source of funding in the future. They appeal to the elected officials, agency directors, federal, state and local jurisdictions, and to the business community to address this funding dilemma. Since public understanding and support are critical to the success of the EIP, these educators ask the Basin Executives and other Tahoe leaders to work together to determine a way to fund a full-scale, comprehensive watershed outreach campaign.

last modified: August 30 2004

Building Blocks for an Outreach Campaign
Examples of the messages, audiences, distribution methods, and evaluation tools currently being employed by the LTEEC partners are listed below.

MESSAGES

• Avoid wasteful water use
  
• Don’t rake pine needles down to bare soil
  
• Fertilize properly to keep harmful fertilizers out of the lake
  
• Implement defensible space to reduce fire risk
  
• Install Best Management Practices (BMPs) to reduce the impacts of erosion
  
• Keep lawn areas limited and use native vegetation
  
• Pick up after pets to prevent nutrients and bacteria from reaching Lake Tahoe
  
• Reduce nonpoint source pollution to prevent the loss of clarity in Lake Tahoe
  
• Students should participate in service-learning projects
  
• Sweep driveways into a dust pan instead of using blowers or hosing with water to reduce dust and runoff
  
• Teachers can use Tahoe’s local environment as an integrating context for learning

AUDIENCES
Current efforts are aimed at reaching the following audiences:

• Boat Owners
  
• Contractors
  
• Local homeowners
  
• New homeowners
  
• Pet Owners
  
• Students
  
• Teachers

Future programs will need to be aimed at reaching :

• Businesses
  
• Seasonal employees
  
• Second homeowners
  
• Visitors

DISTRIBUTION METHODS

• Internet
  
• Newsletter
  
• Posters
  
• Presentations (e.g. homeowner associations, classrooms)
  
• Print media (4 Tahoe newspapers)
  
• Publications (i.e. Home Landscape Guide)
  
• Symposium
  
• Television (Lake Tahoe Report)
  
• Video/DVD
  
• Volunteer events
  
• Workshops

EVALUATION

• Evaluation surveys
  
• Focus groups
  
• Longitudinal telephone surveys
  
• Measuring impacts (number of BMPs installed, number of phone calls received)
  
• Phone calls and E-mail contacts
  
• Pre- and post-tests
  
• Web site hits

last modified: August 30 2004

Snapshot Day Stream Monitoring
Snapshot Day is an annual one-day event sponsored by the Tahoe-Truckee Clean Water Team and the Lake Tahoe Environmental Education Coalition. It is designed get community volunteers involved in monitoring the water moving through the Lake Tahoe and Truckee River watersheds. Water samples are taken at the same time at various sites throughout the watershed in order to develop a picture of water quality and watershed health at a single point in time. The volunteer monitoring teams field-test streams for dissolved oxygen, conductivity, pH and temperature. They also conduct a visual assessment, collect field data, grab samples and take photos. Water samples are taken back to central meeting locations and distributed to labs to be measured for sediment particle size, turbidity, nutrients and fecal coliform bacteria. Sponsoring agencies provide all the sampling and monitoring equipment.

Each Snapshot Day has a focus. The focus for this year’s third annual Snapshot Day was for Lake Tahoe volunteers to gather sediment samples from the mouths of all 63 tributaries into Lake Tahoe. These sediment samples will help provide data for Lake Tahoe’s Total Maximum Daily Load study that is being conducted by the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board (LRWQCB). Snapshot Day is also intended to provide baseline data that could be used in upcoming project identification, Environmental Improvement Project program monitoring and to create a large-scale collaborative effort to prevent further degradation of water quality.

There are two levels of volunteers for Snapshot Day, team leaders and team members. Team leaders must be trained in water quality sampling. Team members do not need training. On SnapShot Day, volunteers will meet at centralized locations to pick up sampling supplies. Refreshments will be provided.

For more information or to get involved, contact:
· Lake Tahoe: Heather Segale, Lake Tahoe Environmental Education Coalition, (775) 832-4138
· Truckee: Beth Cristman, Truckee River Watershed Council, (530) 550-8760
· Reno: Mary Kay Riedl, NDEP, (775) 687-9454

Snapshot Day 2003 Results
Snapshot Day 2003 was the third annual citizen volunteer stream monitoring event for the Lake Tahoe and Truckee River watershed. On May 10, 2003, more than 250 volunteers collected water quality data at 125 distinct monitoring sites. A copy of the 2003 Snapshot Day Final Report is available at the LTEEC office. Contact Heather Segale, (775) 832-4138, or view the PDF files: 2003 Snapshot Day Final Report and 2003 Snapshot Day Data.

Snapshot Day 2002 Results
The second annual Snapshot Day was held on May 4, 2002, with more than 300 volunteers gathering important visual and habitat data along with water samples from 113 locations. A copy of the 2002 Snapshot Day Final Report is available at the LTEEC office or view the PDF files: 2002 Snapshot Day Final Report and 2002 Snapshot Day Data.

Snapshot Day 2001 Results
The first annual Snapshot Day event in the Tahoe-Truckee watershed was held on June 2, 2001. More than 100 committed citizen-volunteers, working closely with many water quality management agencies, participated in gathering water quality data at 44 locations. A copy of the 2001 Snapshot Day Final Report is available at the LTEEC office, or view the PDF files: 2001 Snapshot Day Final Report and 2001 Snapshot Day Data.

last modified: December 24 2003

Lake Tahoe is Losing Water Clarity
Lake Tahoe waters have been losing transparency at an average of about one foot each year since the late 1960s.

Lake Tahoe’s exceptional clarity is a result of the absence of suspended sediment and free-floating, single-celled algae in the water. Given undisturbed conditions, the lake’s water quality would change so slowly the changes would be undetectable over a human lifetime. Human settlements and logging activities that began in the late 1880s have contributed to the rapidly declining clarity. Lake Tahoe’s clarity has decreased by more than 33 percent since the 1960s and is steadily declining at the rate of one foot a year. Scientists say that the rate of water quality deterioration at Lake Tahoe has been steady for so long it may become irreversible in 10 years.

Lake Tahoe’s water quality problems are not caused by industry or by wastewater treatment plants. The causes of water pollution are the daily activities of the thousands of residents and visitors in the Lake Tahoe watershed. We all need to learn to reduce our impact on the environment—impacts like erosion, over-fertilization, spills, leaks, and disturbances of soils and stream environment zones.

last modified: December 27 2005

EIP Update: Public Funding Authorized
EIP Update:
Public Funding Authorized

Nevada Assembly Bill 285 provides for the periodic issuance of general obligation bonds of up to $53.2 million to implement EIP projects during the period between July 1, 2001 - June 30, 2007, . Recently, the Nevada Legislature took the next step and actually authorized the issuance of state bonds and the use of revenue in the amount of $12.9 million for EIP projects during the period 2003-2005. Similarly, California has committed $240 million in the future to implement EIP projects. Recently, California Proposition 50 was passed, which provides $30 million for Lake Tahoe EIP projects.

Completed Nevada Projects

Jim Lawrence, Tahoe program manager, Nevada Tahoe Resource Team, keeps track of the various EIP projects in Nevada. The total commitment for Nevada ($82 million) includes projects in eight of the nine threshold categories (water quality, SEZ/soils, vegetation, fisheries, recreation, wildlife, and scenic quality with no project currently listed under air quality threshold). Water quality EIP projects completed to date in Nevada include:

Washoe County

• Incline Village #1 – drainage conveyance and runoff treatment, revegetation and sediment basins
  
• Incline Village Commercial – conveyance and runoff treatment
  
• Chateau/Country Club – revegetation, rock-lined ditches, retaining walls and rock slope protection
  
• Incline Village Tourist Water Quality – drainage conveyance and runoff treatment facilities
  
• Mill Creek Phase I – water quality treatment and erosion control
  

Douglas County

• Upper Kingsbury (Kingsbury Estates) – revegetation, slope stabilization, conveyance and runoff treatment
  
• Marla Bay – installation of sediment traps, water conveyance and treatment
  

last modified: February 20 2003

Tahoe Environmental Research Center Proposed
Researchers at the University of California, Davis, were the first scientists to raise the alarm that cobalt-blue Lake Tahoe was turning green. In the 1950s, UC Davis converted the 1924 Fish Hatchery at Tahoe City into makeshift labs to conduct the scientific studies needed in the basin. Since then, the pioneering research done by UC Davis, UNR and other public organizations has helped us to understand the basin’s ecological problems and their causes. If we are to restore the basin’s health, yet continue to live, work and play here, more advanced research is needed. Policy makers are asking for scientific information to help them balance environmental protection with human activities, and to help them identify the most beneficial, efficient use of tax dollars.

To identify the best solutions, Tahoe scientists urgently need a modern research center. UC Davis has raised $13 million in private funds to build such a center and has identified a building site in Lake Forest. In addition to the new research center, the university will restore the old Fish Hatchery and convert it to a public education center.

The new research center would be located on one acre within a 4.7-acre site about one-quarter mile southeast of the hatchery. Before UC Davis chose this site, it established strict criteria for the center location. After two years of examining more than 20 plots of land, a parcel owned by California State Parks proved to be the only one that met those criteria and that was environmentally acceptable. The woods, beach and existing footpaths on the property will remain free and open to the public.

last modified: February 20 2003

Fish Species of the Lake Tahoe Basin
Lake Tahoe Report #151
January 9, 2006
By John Cobourn and Heather Segale

In terms of lakes, Tahoe is a relatively harsh environment for fish. It was cutoff from other bodies of water many thousands of years ago, so as it evolved, only seven species of fish evolved in it. However, since the introduction of humans and human intervention at Lake Tahoe, that number has changed.

According to Brant Allen, fisheries biologist with the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center, “The original native game fish was the Lahontan cutthroat trout, which is no longer in the lake. But, there are still six native species of fish swimming in Tahoe.” The Lahontan cutthroat trout, named for the distinctive red streak under its chin, once topped Lake Tahoe’s food chain and weighed as much as 40 pounds. This fish thrived in the Tahoe Basin and migrated the length of the Truckee River between Tahoe and Pyramid Lake.

The native fish that still survive in Lake Tahoe include:

· The mountain whitefish (Prosopium willaimsoni) is Lake Tahoe’s only native game fish. It lives near the bottom to a depth of about 100 feet.

· The Lahontan redside shiner (Richardsonius egregious) is a native minnow that is abundant in the shallow shorezone and can usually be seen in large numbers around marinas and rock crib piers. It grows to 3 to 4 inches long.

· The Lahontan speckled dace (Rhinichthys osculus) is another native minnow that grows to about 2 to 3 inches long. It is difficult to find, as it seeks the cover of rocky substrate on the bottom of the lake.

· The tui chub (Gila bicolor) is a bottom-oriented chub that feeds on zooplankton or sediments on the bottom of the lake.

· The Tahoe sucker (Catostomus tahoensis) is a bottom feeder that grows to about 16 inches long.

· The Paiute sculpin (Cottus beldingi) grows to about 3 inches long. It lives under rocks and is rarely observed in less than 10 feet of water.

The native Lahontan cutthroat trout went extinct in Lake Tahoe in 1939, due in part to overfishing, competition with nonnative species, and the development of dams. In particular, Derby Dam below Reno and Sparks and the Tahoe Outlet Dam in Tahoe City isolated the Tahoe population of cutthroat trout from other populations within the historic range.

Beginning in the late 1800s, when the effects of human environmental changes had reduced the numbers of Lahontan cutthroat in the lake, humans began introducing nonnative fish species in hopes of increasing Tahoe’s yield of game fish. These introductions included lake trout from the Great Lakes, Chinook salmon, Atlantic salmon, golden trout, Arctic grayling, Great Lakes whitefish, brook trout, brown trout, and rainbow trout. Of these fish species, the lake trout, brown trout, brook trout, and rainbow trout were able to establish self-supporting populations in the Tahoe Basin.

In the 20th century, additional introductions of nonnative invertebrates and fish further altered the Tahoe Basin ecosystem. Using the best available science at the time, exotic species were introduced with the intention of adding a recreational component or supporting an existing fishery. Unfortunately, not all of the species behaved as expected in the clear, cold waters of the Tahoe Basin.

After 70 years of alteration, the aquatic ecosystem now supports nonnative lake trout (Mackinaw) as the top predator. They are accompanied by rainbow trout, brown trout and kokanee salmon, providing multiple recreational fishing opportunities for shallow and deep-line anglers. The native Lahontan cutthroat trout is now among the most endangered western salmonids. Fortunately, as noted above, the other six native Tahoe fish species have survived the planned exotic introductions and continue to thrive within the Tahoe Basin.

In recent years, new threats to Tahoe’s remaining native fish have arisen. A number of warm-water fish species have been illegally introduced to Lake Tahoe, including largemouth and smallmouth bass, crappie, and sunfish. While these fish are typically associated with warm-water environments, their populations are able to grow and spread within the Tahoe Basin. Taking advantage of seasonally warm water in bays and marinas, the fish feed on native minnows and successfully spawn.

Scientists from University of California Davis and University of Nevada Reno plan to study the potential expansion of these species, and with help from the USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, implement a plan for their control. “The warm-water invasive species appear to pose a great risk to Tahoe’s remaining native species,” states Brant Allen a research biologist for UC Davis. “Their ability to consume large numbers of fish and the apparent overlap with native minnow spawning areas is a big concern.”

Warm-water fish invasions are not new to California. Nearby Lake Davis continues to experience problems resulting from the illegal introduction of northern pike, a voracious predator. Controlling the spread of similar species in the Tahoe Basin could go a long way to preserving native fish and assist the recovery of Tahoe’s once great Lahontan cutthroat trout.

The Lake Tahoe Report is a collaboration between John Cobourn, Water Resource Specialist with University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, and Heather Segale, Education and Outreach Coordinator for the University of California, Davis. For more information, contact Heather Segale, (530) 583-3279, or logon to www.lteec.org, www.tahoe.unr.edu, or terc.ucdavis.edu.

last modified: January 10 2006

Bald Eagle Viewing More Likely During the Winter
Lake Tahoe Report #153
January 23, 2006
By Heather Segale and John Cobourn

Sighting a bald eagle is a magnificent experience, especially after the bald eagle’s near extinction in the not-so-distant past. The bald eagle population fell to endangered levels of less than 500 pairs in the early 1960s due to hunting, habitat loss and contamination of waterways and food sources by various pollutants and pesticides, most notably DDT.

There was a similar drop in eagle populations at Lake Tahoe during the late 1980s, when the two nest sites in the basin were both inactive. There are usually only one or two pairs of bald eagles in the Tahoe Basin during the summer. However, during the winter, bald eagles migrate to Tahoe because it is more temperate than Alaska and Canada. According to wildlife biologist Stewart McMorrow, “as many as 20 eagles have been counted in the Tahoe Basin during the winter months.”

Bald eagles live near large bodies of open water, such as lakes, marshes, seacoasts and rivers, where there are plenty of fish to eat and tall trees for nesting and roosting. Bald eagles feed primarily on fish, but also eat small animals, such as ducks, coots, muskrats, turtles, rabbits, and snakes. Occasionally, they also eat dead animals. They are a kind of predator called raptors. They swoop down to seize fish in their powerful, long and sharp talons. They exert approximately 1,000 pounds of pressure per square inch in each foot. They can carry their food off in flight, but can only lift about half their weight. Bald eagles can fly at speeds of about 65 miles per hour in level flight, and up to 150 or 200 miles per hour in a dive.

Bald eagles are monogamous and mate for life. A Bald eagle will only select another mate if its faithful companion dies. They build large nests, called eyries, at the top of sturdy, tall trees. The nests become larger as the eagles return to breed and add new nesting materials year after year. Bald eagles make their new nests an average of 2 feet deep and 5 feet wide. Eventually, some nests become 10 feet wide and weigh several tons. When a nest is destroyed by natural causes, it is often rebuilt nearby. Bald eagles line their nests with twigs, soft mosses, grasses and feathers.

The female lays one to three eggs each spring, which hatch after about 35 days of incubation. Feathers of newly hatched bald eaglets are light grey, and turn dark brown before they leave the nest in about 12 weeks. When they are 3 or 4 years old, bald eagles have mottled brown and white feathers under their wings and on their heads, tails and breasts. The distinctive white head and tail feathers do not appear until they are about 4 to 5 years old. Their beaks and eyes also turn from dark brown to yellow during this time.

Bald eagles are about 29 to 42 inches long, can weigh 7 to 15 pounds, and have a wingspan of 6 to 8 feet. This makes them one of the largest birds in North America. Females are larger than males, but both have white heads and tail feathers and yellow beaks.

The bald eagle is our national symbol, so when it became threatened with extinction in the 1960s, people took notice. Strong endangered species and environmental protection laws, as well as active private, state and federal conservation efforts, have brought back the bald eagle population from the edge of extinction in the United States. The use of DDT pesticide is now outlawed in the United States, which has contributed greatly to the return of the bald eagle to America's skies. There are now over 5,000 nesting pairs and 20,000 total birds in the lower 48 states. There are over 35,000 bald eagles in Alaska.

There are several other common raptors living at least part of the year in the Lake Tahoe Basin. One of the most common is the osprey, which is somewhat similar in appearance to the bald eagle, having white markings on its head and throat and a dark brown back and tail. It also preys mostly on fish. Most nests that you see in the Tahoe Basin are osprey nests. Sometimes eagles will steal freshly caught fish from the slightly smaller ospreys.

Forest hawks, which do not fish for food, include the sharp-shinned hawk, the Cooper’s hawk, and the northern goshawk. Such raptors are called accipiters. Other raptors in the Basin include the merlin, the great horned owl, the western screech owl, the flammulated owl, the northern Pigmy owl, the northern Saw-whet owl, and the rare California spotted owl. Red tail hawks also frequent Tahoe, and peregrine falcons sometimes pass through the region.

For more information about the birds of the Tahoe Basin, visit http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/ltbmu/recreation/wildlife/birds.shtml.

The Lake Tahoe Report is a collaboration between John Cobourn, Water Resource Specialist with University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, and Heather Segale, Education and Outreach Coordinator for the University of California, Davis. For more information, contact Heather Segale, (530) 583-3279, or logon to www.lteec.org, www.tahoe.unr.edu, or terc.ucdavis.edu.

last modified: January 23 2006

Lake of the Sky - The Lake Tahoe Story
A Robust Multimedia Presentation by David C. Antonucci

Amazing Facts and True Stories About Lake Tahoe:

Lake of the Sky — The Lake Tahoe Story brings the mysteries and science of Lake Tahoe to everyone. Using state of the art multimedia techniques, the viewer experiences an exciting and informative journey of discovery. Accompanied by live narration from a qualified environmental scientist, the audience will explore the mystique of Lake Tahoe. Participants will have greater understanding, leading to a deeper appreciation and lasting memories of Lake Tahoe.

Centered around the most frequently asked questions and mysteries of Lake Tahoe, the 45-minute presentation covers the Lake’s most fascinating and timely aspects. Viewers will learn about the natural forces that created Lake Tahoe and take a virtual dive into the underwater world. They will experience the pioneer movement, follow historic trails and live through Tahoe’s Gilded Age. Using simple and easy to understand concepts, scientific concerns are explained together with the future plans to protect the Lake. Live narration complemented by ample graphics, video and animation scenes make the presentation lively and interesting. The presentation is fully customizable to provide more detail or additional subjects of interest to the audience. Examples are recreation, geology, water resources and biological resources.

• How was Lake Tahoe formed?
  
• How large and deep is Lake Tahoe?
  
• How much water is in Lake Tahoe?
  
• Where does the water go?
  
• Why is it so blue?
  
• How cold is the water?
  
• Does it ever freeze?
  
• Is Lake Tahoe's clarity threatened?
  
• What is the history of Tahoe?

Learn the answers to these and many more exciting facts about Lake Tahoe in Lake of the Sky — The Lake Tahoe Story.

Fees and Charges: Base fee is $295 for groups up to 150 persons in the Lake Tahoe area and includes audiovisual equipment and setup.
About the Presenter: David C. Antonucci is a 30-year resident of Lake Tahoe. He holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in environmental engineering. He has been directly involved with plans and activities to protect Lake Tahoe throughout his 32-year career and is considered an expert on Lake Tahoe environmental issues. He has served on many boards and organizations dedicated to visitor interpretation and preservation of Lake Tahoe.

Contact information:
David C. Antonucci
Phone: 530-525-5410
Fax: 530-525-7745
Email: dcantonucci@msn.com
P. O. Box 1050
7205 Antelope Way
Homewood, CA 96141-1050

last modified: January 24 2005

Pine Needles: To Rake Or Not To Rake
The local fire chiefs and water quality experts have found common ground regarding the pine needle mulch issue in Lake Tahoe. While the threat of wildfire is real, raking your property down to bare soil can create ideal conditions for wind and water erosion, which threaten the clarity of Lake Tahoe. As a compromise, the following suggestions provide for adequate defensible space and best management practices:

* In areas more than 2 feet away from the base of the house, reduce thick layers of pine needles and leaves to a depth of 1 inch to 2 inches. Greater accumulations of pine needles and leaves create an unacceptable fire risk. Reducing the pine needles and leaves to less than a 1-inch layer may make the underlying bare soil more vulnerable to erosion. Take care to avoid disturbing the “duff layer” (the dark area at the ground surface where needles and leaves are decomposing) if present. Pine needles, especially the dark, moist layer found underneath, hold the healthy topsoil on your property, which helps plants grow, conserves water, fights disease and keeps your landscaping looking great!

* Do not allow any pine needles or leaves to accumulate within 2 feet of the house or under decks. Consider using inorganic (rock) mulches or planting low fire hazard vegetation to cover bare ground in these areas.

* Remove pine needles and leaves from roofs, rain gutters, decks, driveways, lawns, flower beds, and other areas where doing so does not result in exposing bare soil. Also, remove dead needles, leaves and branches that are still attached to living trees and shrubs and are within 15 feet of the ground.

last modified: July 8 2002

Defensible Space, Are You Prepared?
What is defensible space? What can you do to make your home defendable from wildfire? Are you prepared?

Defensible space is the area between a house and an oncoming wildfire where the vegetation has been modified to reduce the wildfire threat and to provide an opportunity for firefighters to effectively defend the house. Sometimes, a defensible space is simply a homeowner’s properly maintained backyard.

As more of us are building our homes nestled in the pine trees to enjoy the beauty of the environment and get away from city life, it has become increasingly important to take responsibility for the surroundings in which we live. Because we have chosen to live in the forest, we need to respect and maintain it. We need to keep it healthy and work to improve the forest around us.

Before wildfire threatens, design and landscape your home with wildfire safety in mind. Select materials and plants that can help contain fire rather than fuel it. Use fire resistant or non-combustible materials on the roof and exterior structure of the dwelling. Plant fire-resistant shrubs and trees. For more information on fire-safe landscaping, refer to “Home Landscaping Guide for Lake Tahoe and Vicinity” and “Living With Fire” published by University of Nevada Cooperative Extension.

The Three R’s of Defensible Space:

* Removal—elimination of entire plants, particularly trees and shrubs (such as cutting down a dead tree)

* Reduction—removal of plant parts, such as branches or leaves (pruning dead wood, removing low tree branches, and raking dry pine needles)

* Replacement—replacing hazardous vegetation with less flammable plants

last modified: July 8 2002

Visit Your Local Demonstration Garden
The North Lake Tahoe Demonstration Garden, located on the Mountain Campus of Sierra Nevada College, is scheduling free Green Thumb Thursday classes again this summer.  The classes are at 6 p.m. at corner of College Blvd. and McDonald Drive in Incline Village.
 
The South Lake Tahoe Demonstration Garden, on the campus of Lake Tahoe Community College, is also open seven days a week for you to learn about landscaping and BMPs at Lake Tahoe.

These gardens demonstrate fundamental principles of successful landscaping and gardening at Lake Tahoe, where the growing season is short, rich soil is scarce, and reliable information on high-altitude gardening is in short supply. But, there is more to the garden than simply learning how to landscape your property. You can conserve water, control soil erosion, enhance water quality, and understand how we can protect and enhance this beautiful place we call home.

Contacts:

* North Lake Tahoe Demonstration Garden
Margaret Solomon at (775) 831-8437

* South Lake Tahoe Demonstration Garden
Frances Brady, LTCC, (530) 541-4660 ext. 219

last modified: July 8 2002

Where Does Your Drinking Water Come From?
By Michelle Sweeney,
Nevada Tahoe Conservation District

If you live in the Lake Tahoe Basin, the water that comes out of your tap has made a fascinating journey in order to arrive in your glass. Let’s take one possible scenario. If you live on the Nevada side of the lake, chances are you are among those who get water from Lake Tahoe itself. On the way to your faucet the water travels through underground pipes after undergoing an ozonation process at a local facility. Ozonation zaps the unwanted materials in the water, “purifying” it, helping to make it safe to drink. In order to get to the ozone facility, the water is drawn from deep in Lake Tahoe.

Where does Lake Tahoe water come from? It all comes from precipitation, in the form of rain or snow, that falls within the “bowl” of mountains surrounding the lake. Of course, rain and snow that gets to the lake first travels through our watersheds. This means that the water that comes out of your kitchen faucet may have traveled over your yard or down the streets you drive on each day. This is one reason why it is important to consider how we do things in the Basin. Controlling erosion on your property, applying a minimal amount of fertilizer in your yard, picking up after your pets and ensuring gasoline doesn’t overflow from your car’s gas tank are all actions we can take to keep our drinking water clean. So next time you turn on the faucet, think about it: Where does your water come from and are you doing all that you can to ensure that it’s the best it can be?

last modified: June 17 2003

Fourth Annual Contractor Workshop Smashes Record
After nearly 6 months of planning, coordination, and collaboration, the Partners in Conservation (PIC) Subgroup of LTEEC presented their BMP workshop on March 19th, 2003, to a record turnout of over 160 Building and Landscape professionals. Titled, “How to Install Best Management Practices (BMPs) on Developed Property in the Lake Tahoe Basin”, this year’s workshop covered more topics in depth by presenting three concurrent tracks of sessions. The first track was for architects, engineers and landscape designers. The second track was for builders and contractors who install BMP for their customers. The third track was for landscape maintenance staff who need to know how to manage landscape components such as lawns, native vegetation, and existing BMPs to insure effective prevention of water pollution.

More residents each year are learning that an essential component of the Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program (EIP) is for homeowners and businesses to install effective BMPs as required in the Basin by law. But over 40,000 properties have not yet been retrofitted. The PIC coalition has been working together for 4 years to educate property owners and help them install BMPS, so they can get their Certificate of BMP Completion from the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA). Back in late 1999, coalition members realized that the free market was needed to accomplish the task. They inaugurated the annual Contractors’ Workshops in 2000, with the goal of training more professionals to be able to provide effective BMP implementation.

Each year, the number of trained professionals has increased. Some are now advertising that they are trained in BMP implementation. Since the public is waking up to the necessity to install them, the professionals are beginning to find more work in BMPs. As more professionals seize upon this new business opportunity, market competition will improve the quality of implementation, and prices should come down, allowing more property owners to install their BMPs. Every professional that attends the workshop also participates in a half day outdoor workshop. After completing an exam, the professional is eligible to have his or her business placed on a list of BMP-trained professionals that is handed out to property owners that need implement BMPs.

A remarkable aspect of this program is the degree to which 5 totally independent agencies at Tahoe have partnered to help the public with their BMP Retrofit responsibility. These agencies are the Nevada Tahoe Conservation District (in NV), the Tahoe Resource Conservation District (in CA), the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the TRPA, and the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension. These agencies have been chronically short of funding, and they are widely separated around the Lake. However, their staffs share the common vision of seeing BMPs implemented throughout the Basin, and they have made extraordinary efforts to coordinate their planning and to cooperate on joint educational events.

In addition to the annual workshops, PIC members engage in joint training of the new staff hired each summer and work together to present the on-site consultations that are the core of the free BMP Site Evaluations available to all property owners who request them. For each of the past two years, about 2000 property owners have received free reports describing BMPs recommended to bring their site into compliance with BMP standards.

The current members of the PIC deserve acknowledgement for successful collaboration, which takes considerable time, effort, flexibility and good will. These members are Paul Sweeny, Chuck Taylor, Jerry Owens, Jennifer Jespersen, Erik Larson, Karen Hansen, Jason Drew, Michelle Sweeny, Woody Loftis, Todd Gillihan, Birgit Widegren, Liz Harrison, Brendan Ferry, Matthew Graham, Heather Segale and John Cobourn.

last modified: June 17 2003

Environmental Improvement Program (EIP) Spring 2003 Highlights
While implementing projects of the Environmental Improvement Program, there will be some inconveniences. You can expect recreational impacts such as increased vehicle traffic, trail crews, construction, and noise from chain saws, trucks and tree chippers. We thank you for your patience and cooperation. Remember, these projects are designed to benefit Lake Tahoe, the surrounding forests, streams, recreation and wildlife for the future.

EIP Project Highlight: The Rosewood Creek Restoration and Realignment project will re-connect Rosewood Creek to Third Creek in Incline Village near Aspen Grove. This location is considered one of the main contributors of sediment load. The project also includes overbank treatment in lower areas below Incline Way. There will be rockwork and earth moving in May, June and July; however, revegetation work is not expected to happen until September or October. These areas are sensitive and should not be disturbed.

Besides the many local projects underway, Nevada EIP projects include:

Nevada Division of Wildlife (NDOW):
East Shore Furbearer Survey
Riparian Wildlife Habitat Enhancement – taking place along North Canyon Creek corridor and Tunnel Creek corridor.
Sugarpine Project above Sand Harbor
North Canyon Old Growth Project
Water Diversion Survey to Maintain Instream
Upland Wildlife Habitat Enhancement Project

Nevada Division of Forestry (NDF):
Forest restoration of about 7,000 acres of Nevada State Lands within the Tahoe Basin

Nevada State Parks:
Interpretive programs
Hidden Beach Rehabilitation
New trail system from Sand Harbor to Memorial Point Trail
New trail for equestrians and hikers only “Marlette Lake Trail”
Spooner Summit Trailhead for Tahoe Rim Trail Spooner North

The Private Property Owner Contribution: BMPs to Protect Water Quality: The large public EIP projects will not be successful without private property owner implementation of Best Management Practices or BMPs. Large-scale erosion control projects will fail without your help, as they are only designed to handle storm water runoff and snow melt runoff from roads and public property. Homeowners are responsible for infiltrating the water on their property.

EIP Outreach: Outreach related to EIP projects is funded by Nevada Division of State Lands through the Lake Tahoe License Plate program. Under the Lake Tahoe license plate program, the Department of Motor Vehicles is authorized to issue a special license plate. The proceeds from the sale of those plates will be used solely for the support of programs for the preservation and restoration of the natural environment of the Lake Tahoe Basin.

last modified: June 20 2003

Tahoe Basin Community Wildfire Protection Plans, California side
Tahoe Basin Community Wildfire Protection Plans, California side, are now available at http://www.geoarchsciences.com/catahoe/plan.htm.

last modified: March 28 2005

Why Should We Care About Noxious Weeds?
Noxious weeds:

• Displace native plants. It has been estimated that competition from noxious weeds has resulted in an 18% decline in endangered plant species. Lake Tahoe is home to several rare and endangered plant species that contribute to the uniqueness of this upper elevation ecosystem.
  
• Reduce biodiversity.
  
• Alter normal ecological processes (e.g., nutrient cycling, water cycling) that help maintain functioning ecosystems.
  
• Decrease wildlife habitat.
  
• Increase soil erosion and stream sediment, damaging water quality.
  
• Cost millions of dollars each year in weed control efforts and lost revenues.
  
• Reduce forage production for livestock and wildlife.
  
• Decrease property values.
  
• Reduce recreational values and uses and decrease tourism.
  

Noxious and invasive weeds are:

• Aggressive nonnative invaders
  
• Detrimental to crops and native plant communities
  
• Damaging to the environment
  
• Difficult to control
  

As invasive weeds continue to proliferate at alarming rates in the Basin, it is essential that we undertake a Basin-wide effort to effectively stop the spread. Developing community partnerships and coordinating management efforts will allow us to more efficiently tackle the economic and ecological problems associated with noxious weed infestations.
Interested agencies, biologists, and community groups have recently joined to form an invasive weed coordinating group that is committed to sharing information on the management and control of invasive weeds within the Lake Tahoe Basin. To join the effort, call Sue Donaldson, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, (775) 784-4848.

last modified: May 9 2002

Review of TRPA Official Plant List
Jenny Leach has been hired as a vegetation technician by TRPA on a temporary basis ending in December. She has undertaken a review of TRPA’s official plant list, which can be found in the Home Landscaping Guide for Tahoe and online at >http://www.unce.unr.edu/publications/EBPubs/EB0201/Chapter07Table1.pdf and http://www.unce.unr.edu/publications/EBPubs/EB0201/Chapter07Table2.pdf (this is the accent plant list).

Jenny is particularly interested in comments on the accent plant list and the grasses. Please send her comments by October 20, including reasons for your objections to any listed plants (see contact info above). We have a real opportunity to decrease the use of invasive plants at Tahoe, as this list is considered the primary resource for selecting plant materials in the basin.

You can reach Jenny at jleach@trpa.org or (775) 588-4547, Ext. 307.

last modified: October 1 2004

Home Landscaping Guide for Lake Tahoe and Vicinity
The second edition of the Home Landscaping Guide for Lake Tahoe and Vicinity is now available. This edition has been revised to include information about the new pine needle mulch recommendations and new Best Management Practice (BMP) technologies. (The book is essentially the same as the first edition, so if you already have a copy, you do not need to get a new one.) The book is available for a donation of $5 at TRPA, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, Conservation Districts, League to Save Lake Tahoe, and most local nurseries. You can receive a free copy as part of a free BMP site evaluation by calling (775) 588-4547, Ext. 202, or (530) 573-2754.

The Home Landscaping Guide for Lake Tahoe and Vicinity is the result of two years of collaboration between Cooperative Extension, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, the Natural Resource Conservation Service, the Resource Conservation Districts and others. The book helps homeowners design landscapes, control erosion, maintain native vegetation and wildlife habitat, improve soil and irrigate efficiently. It contains suggested plan lists, pest-management tips and defensible space practices to protect homes from wildfire. The book is a major component of Cooperative Extension's Tahoe Landscaping and Backyard Conservation Program, which includes workshops for professionals, block meetings with information on good landscape management techniques and Master Gardener volunteer activities.

"We hope this guide helps homeowners achieve their individual landscape goals, while encouraging them to implement appropriate landscape practices that preserve the lake's unique environment," said John Cobourn, water resource specialist and principle author.

Don’t Forget Fall Landscape Maintenance (Excerpted from the Home Landscaping Guide for Lake Tahoe and Vicinity)


- Good fall garden cleanup is the best way to prevent disease and insect problems next year.

- Fertilize and plant – Ornamental plants will benefit from light fertilization after they go dormant. This encourages healthy root production. This is also a good time to plant trees, shrubs and perennials.

- What to prune – Prune evergreen trees and shrubs, and summer flowering deciduous plants if needed.

- Protect your plants for winter – Mulch plants to conserve moisture. Protect all plants from heavy snow coming off roofs, decks and driveways.

- Prepare garden equipment for winter storage.

- Keep garden records – This helps you plan next year’s garden.

last modified: October 14 2002

TRPA Releases “Leaving a Lake Tahoe Legacy”
The second edition of “Leaving a Lake Tahoe Legacy” was published as an insert in the local newspapers in early September.
In this edition, Rochelle Nason, executive director of the League to Save Lake Tahoe, writes “the top challenge for the Environmental Improvement Program (EIP) over the next five years will be public education. The public is being called on to make sacrifices to make the program work. The people making these sacrifices, especially those in the local community, need to understand how EIP investments result in environmental benefits, and how those environmental benefits will translate into social and economic benefits over the long term. To meet this challenge, we need community and government leaders who can comprehend and convey this vision to the public, and who have the courage to stand up for what’s right under pressure.”

“Leaving a Legacy” describes the EIP with clear language and striking color photographs. For all educators interested in teaching the public about the monumental efforts to save Lake Tahoe, “Leaving a Lake Tahoe Legacy” is a must.

You can obtain a free copy of “Leaving a Lake Tahoe Legacy” by contacting Pam Drum, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, (775) 588-4547, ext. 237. Multiple copies of this 12-page document are available from TRPA for distribution to groups and organizations.

last modified: October 14 2002

Fire Safe Councils Come to Lake Tahoe
The recent devastating fire seasons of 1999, 2000 and 2001 have caused a growing recognition that the threat of wildfire to human life and property has been escalating rapidly. Increasing the survivability of communities faced with a growing wildfire threat is the aim of the Fire Safe Council.

Fire Safe Councils have recently been formed on both the Nevada and California sides of the Tahoe Basin. Functioning in ways similar to the former “Tahoe Regreen” project, the Fire Safe Councils will help to organize local community chapters to explore how communities can better protect themselves and increase their chances of surviving a wildfire. The Council’s role is to help interested community groups accomplish necessary pre-fire activities including assessing hazards and risks, developing action plans, and securing funding to implement defensible space and hazard reduction projects. The Nevada and California chapters plan to work in a cooperative and coordinated manner.

In Nevada, Dr. Elwood Miller is the coordinator of the Nevada Fire Safe Council. If you have questions or would like to learn more please contact Miller, (775) 322-2413, or email firesafe@renonevada.net.
In California, a grant was recently awarded to the Tahoe Resource Conservation District to fund a California Fire Safe Council in the Tahoe Basin. Tim Oliver will be administering the grant and a coordinator will be hired. Contact Tim Oliver, (530) 573-2756, for more information.

last modified: October 14 2002

BMP Workshops
Best Management Practices, designed to prevent nutrient and sediment loading in the Lake, are required on all commercial properties, on the public roadways, and yes, even on our own private property. Erosion control scientists continue to monitor and re-evaluate the most effective means for controlling stormwater runoff, forever in search of even BETTER Best Management Practices. Alternatives to infiltration trenches which displace less soil, are more effective in controlling stormwater runoff, are less labor intensive for installation, and that are much easier to maintain are available. LTEEC partner agencies such as the Nevada Tahoe Conservation District (NTCD), Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) and Tahoe Resource Conservation District (TRCD), offer workshops on Best Management Practices or BMPs.

last modified: October 27 2003

Residential Best Management Practices (BMPs)
Each homeowner plays a critical role in reducing the impact of urban runoff resulting from development. Runoff from residential areas transports nutrients and sediment to surface waters, adversely affecting the water quality and clarity of Lake Tahoe. TRPA Regulations require that all property owners implement BMPs to infiltrate the volume of a 20 year/1 hour storm (about 1 inch of water) into the soil within the confines of their property. TRPA recommends that you have your property evaluated for Best Management Practices (BMPs).

BMPs are structural and non-structural practices proven effective in management of surface runoff and other non-point source pollution. Typically, a BMP Retrofit for a residential property entails inexpensive measures such as spreading mulch over exposed soil areas, paving dirt driveways, and in some cases installing infiltration systems under roof drip lines. Call the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency’s Erosion Control Team (775-588-4547 ext. 217) or your local Conservation District (California, 530-543-1501, Ext. 114, or Nevada, 775-586-7223, Ext. 1) to schedule a free BMP site evaluation.

BMP Technology

Best Management Practices, designed to prevent nutrient and sediment pollution in the Lake, are required on all commercial properties, on public roadways, and around our private residences. Erosion control scientists continue to monitor and re-evaluate the means for controlling storm water runoff, forever in search of even BETTER Best Management Practices. New alternatives to gravel-filled infiltration trenches, which displace less soil, are more effective in controlling storm water runoff, are less labor intensive for installation, and are much easier to maintain, are now available.

The purpose of an infiltration system is to collect and infiltrate runoff from impervious surfaces such as roofs, driveways and parking areas, into the ground. This reduces erosion of the soil surface caused by runoff. Some examples include slotted drains, drywells, and underground infiltration storage units.

Infiltration systems require maintenance in order to continue to be effective. Accumulated debris within gravel mulch must be removed periodically. Storage units need to be regularly checked and accumulated sediment removed to keep available storage space open. A clean-out port can be used as a means to access storage facilities for easy maintenance.

last modified: October 27 2003

What You Can Do to Help Lake Tahoe This Spring and Summer
In addition to calling for a free BMP site evaluation, (530) 543-1501, Ext. 114 (California), or (775) 586-7223, Ext. 1 (Nevada), you can spread the word about the following property maintenance techniques that are friendly to the environment. You can:

1. Protect all vegetation in Stream Environment Zones (SEZs). No construction, landscaping or removal of vegetation are allowed. In general, encourage and protect the growth of native plants on your property.
   
   
2. When you have the urge to rake fallen pine needles off your property, always leave between 1 inch and 2 inches of decaying needles as mulch on top of bare soil. After a winter or two, needles will begin to decay and turn into rich compost, which is known as the natural “duff layer” in forest soils. To reduce fire hazards each summer, just rake the freshly fallen pine needles off the top, and allow the darker duff layer to stay in place. This enriches the soil and protects against soil erosion. A healthy duff or mulch layer helps your landscape absorb rainfall and snowmelt runoff like a sponge, preventing erosion.
   
   
3. If you have a lawn, it should only be fertilized lightly, once in May after the snow has melted, and again in September once the days start to cool off. PIC recommends applying only ½ pound to ¾ pounds of Nitrogen per 1,000 square feet during these applications. (See page 117 of the Home Landscaping Guide for Lake Tahoe.)
   
   
4. If you incorporate compost or other organic soil amendments into your soil prior to planting, you won’t need to use as much fertilizer. Once native shrubs and trees are well established, they will not need to be fertilized if there is a good duff layer on the soil.

last modified: October 27 2003

Homeowners Must Help Protect Lake Tahoe
Fertilizer Usage

When you're fertilizing the lawn, remember you're not just fertilizing the lawn. The rain washes fertilizer along the curb, into the storm drain, and directly into our streams and Lake Tahoe. This causes algae to grow, which decreases the clarity of the lake. So if you fertilize, please follow directions and use sparingly.

Water Conservation

Please don’t waste water - To irrigate your lawn efficiently and avoid overwatering, you should perform an “irrigation audit” (or “can” test) on your sprinkler system. If you are applying more than 1 and one-half inches of water per week in spring or fall, or more than 2 inches per week in July and August, you are overwatering and perhaps leaching nutrients down into the groundwater. For more information, call Bill Carlos, (775) 784-4848, or Waste Not Incline Village GID, (775) 831-8603.

Best Management Practices (BMPs)

Best Management Practices (BMPs), designed to prevent nutrient and sediment loading to Lake Tahoe, are required on all commercial properties, on the public roadways, and yes, even on our own private property. The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) recommends that you have your residence evaluated for BMPs. Typically, a BMP retrofit for a residential property entails measures such as spreading mulch over exposed soil areas, paving dirt driveways, and in some cases installing infiltration systems next to driveways and under roof driplines. To schedule a free BMP site evaluation, call your local Conservation District.

• California residents should contact the Tahoe Resource Conservation District, (530) 543-1501, Ext. 114.
  
• Nevada residents should contact the Nevada Tahoe Conservation District, (775) 586-7223, Ext. 1.
  
• Commercial and multi-family residential properties should contact the Erosion Control Team, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, (775) 588-4547, Ext. 202.

last modified: October 27 2003