Your September e-news from Keep Tahoe Blue

25th annual Tahoe Forest Stewardship Day is tomorrow!

Lace up your boots, pull on a pair of gloves and join us tomorrow on the south shore to heal Lake Tahoe’s forests and meadows!

Ecosystem restoration is key to protecting Tahoe’s water quality and clarity, and for making sure the Basin is ready to cope with the impacts of a changing climate.

After a few hours of hands-on work, we’ll treat you to live music, food and drink to celebrate. Sign up here, and we’ll see you tomorrow morning!

South Lake Tahoe is on its way to banning single-use plastic water bottles

Thanks to the actions of more than 300 of you, the City of South Lake Tahoe is one step away from passing a nation-leading, pollution-fighting ban on single-use plastic water bottles! Read more about the proposed ordinance here and here.

The South Lake Tahoe City Council voted unanimously in favor of the proposed ban on September 20 after being urged forward by a letter of support from so many of you. If the Council votes to approve again on October 4, the City will be on its way to eliminating a major source of plastic pollution in the Tahoe Basin.

We so appreciate your dedication to Keep Tahoe Blue!

Refuse, reduce, reuse

When you’ve got the right gear, you can refuse single-use plastics (a.k.a. future litter) and reduce the chances of that junk making its way into the Tahoe environment.

Grab a reusable bottle, mug or pint glass from our store so you’re ready to fill up on clean, delicious Tahoe tap water. It’s way better than bottled. Get your reusables here.

All proceeds benefit our efforts to Keep Tahoe Blue now and for future generations.

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A few restoration project updates

MEEKS BAY

This promising project is pursuing the goal of restoring Meeks Bay, Lagoon and Creek, including the only natural barrier beach system in Tahoe. The Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Report for the project was released for a 60-day public comment period earlier this summer, which closed on August 10. The project team – including the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, the Lahontan Water Board and USDA Forest Service – is currently reviewing and responding to those public comments, which includes the League’s own letter.

The League has been a member of the project stakeholder team from the start. We have consistently expressed our support for a fully restored and functioning Meeks Creek and Meeks Lagoon for the benefit of Lake Tahoe. You can read our letter here.

UPPER TRUCKEE MARSH

The California Tahoe Conservancy’s long-running and vitally important restoration project on the south shore is nearly complete. The current phase includes final work to improve a trail to Lake Tahoe at the Upper Truckee Marsh, running from the east end of Venice Drive to the beach at Cove East. Once complete, the new trail will be more durable and fully accessible to all users. If you plan to access the area, please stay on trails to help protect sensitive wildlife habitat. You can find more information here.

Control Methods Test reaches a milestone

Earlier this summer, this comprehensive test to control aquatic invasive weeds in the Tahoe Keys was launched after years of study and preparation. Yesterday, environmental monitoring showed that the last remaining traces of herbicides applied in this first phase of the test had naturally dissipated. As a result, divers removed the floating rubber barriers called turbidity curtains that had blocked off the test sites from the rest of the Keys lagoons. This move ended boating restrictions that had been in place since May.

After a promising start to the Control Methods Test (CMT) in 2022, the final two years of the project will focus on testing a range of other proven and innovative methods to control the invasive weeds. There will not be any further chemical treatments or boating restrictions.

By evaluating every possible tool in one comprehensive test, the CMT can provide a formula for controlling ground zero for invasive weeds in Tahoe – the Tahoe Keys. And with that area in check, we can protect the whole Lake.