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Working Groups: Partners in ConservationIntegrating 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 2004Lake 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 2005Fish 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 2006Bald 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 2006Lake 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 96141-1050last modified: January 24 2005Visit 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 2003Fourth 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 2003Environmental 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
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 2002BMP 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 2003Residential 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 2003What 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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.)
- 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 2003Homeowners 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
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