Dec 2, 2024
Lake Tahoe, Nev./Calif. – The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) is now accepting lottery entries from lakefront property owners for new moorings for the 2025 mooring lottery drawing, the agency announced today. Under the Lake Tahoe Shoreline Plan, TRPA must conduct an annual lottery to distribute a limited number of allocations for new moorings, such as buoys and boat lifts, until the cap on new moorings is reached.
The Shoreline Plan, approved in 2018, placed a limit on the total number of moorings and piers allowed in the Lake Tahoe Region and established an annual lottery system for allocations.
Entries for the lottery can be submitted anytime from December 1, 2024 through January 31, 2025. All submissions received before the deadline will be considered equally. The lottery drawing is scheduled to take place in February, 2025.
Only shoreline properties that adjoin the highwater line of Lake Tahoe are eligible. TRPA reminds applicants that the drawing is only for an allocation. If an allocation is received from the drawing, a complete permit application showing all TRPA requirements can be met will be required.
Additional information on eligibility and how to enter is available at LakeTahoeInfo.org/moorings.
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The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency leads the cooperative effort to preserve, restore, and enhance the unique natural and human environment of the Lake Tahoe Region, while improving local communities, and people’s interactions with our irreplaceable environment. For additional information, contact Jeff Cowen, Public Information Officer, at (775) 589-5278 jcowen@trpa.gov
Nov 15, 2024
2024 Boating Season in Review
Lake Tahoe, Nev./Calif. — As the Lake Tahoe boating and paddling season wraps up, agencies leading the Lake Tahoe Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) program are tallying up the 2024 watercraft inspection season and taking stock of the growing threat of AIS in the Tahoe Region.
The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) and the Tahoe Resource Conservation District (Tahoe RCD), which manage the watercraft inspection program, reported today that staff inspected over 5,600 vessels since January and intercepted 59 vessels with AIS on board. Though this is an increase from the 46 vessels found with AIS in 2023, it is nowhere near the record of 129 vessels in 2021. Boaters, paddlers, anglers, and beachgoers all help lower the risk of AIS by following the Clean, Drain, and Dry protocol.
Since the program’s inception in 2008, trained watercraft inspectors have cleared 118,000 boats to launch, safeguarding native species and habitat, as well as Lake Tahoe’s famous clarity.
2024 By The Numbers
• 5,600 motorized vessels inspected
• 59 vessels intercepted with AIS on board
• 17 intercepts with quagga or zebra mussels
• ~60% of boats arrived Clean, Drained, and Dry
• 5,200 rover interactions with electric and non-motorized recreators
• 500 new Tahoe Keepers
• 900 uses of free CD3 machine
Since 2008:
• 118,000 watercraft inspected
• 7,500 Tahoe Keepers certified
Among the vessels intercepted with AIS this year, 17 were found with quagga or zebra mussels, a devastating species that has never been detected in Lake Tahoe. Inspectors are kept informed of regional high-risk waterbodies and trained to screen for all non-native species, including invasive golden mussels that were detected in the San Joaquin-Sacramento River Delta in October of this year.
“We are fortunate to have a comprehensive inspection program at Tahoe, but it takes everyone working together to protect our waters from the damage that invasive species can inflict,” said Dennis Zabaglo, AIS program manager at TRPA. “With the recent discovery of New Zealand mudsnails in Lake Tahoe and golden mussels in the Bay-Delta, we must stay vigilant and ensure existing protocols will continue to prevent the spread of any mussel into the Lake Tahoe Region.”
If vessels are not Clean, Drain, Dry or if a boat has a ballast system like a ski or wake boat, it will undergo a decontamination process. This year, boaters continued to do their part, as 59 percent of motorized vessels arrived Clean, Drain, and Dry.
How Things Changed: New Zealand Mudsnails
The discovery of invasive New Zealand mudsnails on the South Shore of Lake Tahoe in 2023 prompted TRPA and Tahoe RCD to enact an award-winning rapid response plan to contain the new invasives and keep them from spreading to other lakes and other areas of Lake Tahoe. In addition to Clean, Drain, and Dry, the AIS program emphasized the mantra “Spill Where You Fill” to prevent the movement of New Zealand mudsnails around Lake Tahoe via ballast water or fish wells. New procedures at boat ramps require boaters to drain water, remove vegetation, and examine anchors and line upon exit from Lake Tahoe.
This summer roving inspectors interacted with more than 5,200 non-motorized recreators, from families with inflatables to kite surfers, and inspected 100 vessels to emphasize the importance of following Clean, Drain, and Dry protocols.
Expanding Reach to the Beach
This summer, the Watercraft Inspection Program piloted the “Roving Inspector Program” to expand outreach beyond inspection stations to Lake Tahoe beaches and Fallen Leaf and Echo Lakes. Thanks to funding by the Tahoe Fund, roving inspectors interacted with more than 5,200 non-motorized recreators, from families with inflatables to kite surfers, and inspected 100 vessels to emphasize the importance of following Clean, Drain, and Dry protocols.
Chris Killian, AIS program manager at Tahoe RCD extolled the progress and potential of the rover program. “We are always looking for ways to reach more recreators, and the rovers were vital in providing information for this growing population,” Killian said.
Non-motorized recreators can also become certified as Tahoe Keepers to Clean, Drain, and Dry their own gear. Since the detection of New Zealand mudsnails, over 500 new individuals have registered as Tahoe Keepers. Additionally, innovative waterless cleaning stations called CD3 machines were positioned at popular beaches and available for free use. One CD3 machine at Meeks Bay was funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and the League to Save Lake Tahoe funded a mobile CD3 machine. The two solar-powered machines logged over 900 uses this summer and will return to beaches next spring.
The new Tahoe Keepers training video teaches non-motorized users how to Clean, Drain, and Dry their gear. Credit: Clean Up The Lake, Ludovic Fekete
For more information on how to protect Lake Tahoe from aquatic invasive species, visit tahoeboatinspections.com.
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The Lake Tahoe Aquatic Invasive Species Program is implemented by 40 public and private partner organizations, including federal, state, and local jurisdictions, research partners, public utility districts, and private marinas. The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and the Tahoe Resource Conservation District lead the program in collaboration with the public and private partners. The program’s mission is to prevent, detect, and control aquatic invasive species in the Region so that future generations can enjoy Lake Tahoe.
Nov 1, 2024
Invasive Golden Mussel Found in Bay-Delta near Stockton; Tahoe on High Alert
Lake Tahoe, Calif. – Last week California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) discovered golden mussels that could significantly damage the ecology of waterbodies in the Bay-Delta near Stockton, California. Lake Tahoe is now on high alert, according to the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA). It is the first time the species has been detected in North America.
“While this discovery is concerning because of the proximity to Lake Tahoe, our watercraft inspection program is robust and we will continue our existing protocols to prevent its spread to the Lake Tahoe Region,” said Dennis Zabaglo, aquatic invasive species program manager at the TRPA.
TRPA and the Tahoe Resource Conservation District lead Lake Tahoe’s Aquatic Invasive Species Program in collaboration with more than 40 public and private partner agencies. Established in 2008, the program’s mission is to prevent, detect, and control aquatic invasive species in the region to protect Lake Tahoe’s fragile ecosystem.
Under the Lake Tahoe Watercraft Inspection Program, every motorized watercraft is inspected, and if need be, decontaminated before launch. Non-motorized paddle craft can also opt for a free inspection at any regional inspection station. Since 2008, staff have inspected 113,000 boats for aquatic invasive species, which can have devastating environmental and economic impacts.
“This news underscores the importance of the program. Now more than ever non-motorized paddlers, kayakers, and even beach goers must learn how to Clean, Drain, and Dry their gear through the free Tahoe Keepers program before launching anywhere in the region,” said Zabaglo.
The golden mussel, which is native to rivers and creeks of China and Southeast Asia, was likely introduced via international shipping, as boats are one of the largest potential sources of spread of aquatic invasive species in the Western U.S. This species is known to have similarly negative ecological and recreational impacts as quagga and zebra mussels, both of which have never been detected in Lake Tahoe.
The California Department of Water Resources is preparing a rapid response that includes additional monitoring to determine the extent of the population and managing potential vectors.
To learn more about how to Clean, Drain, and Dry and for more information about aquatic invasive species, visit TahoeBoatInspections.com. For the latest updates on the golden mussel, visit the CDFW Aquatic Invasive Species webpage.
Image: Golden Mussel shells collected in October 2024 at a water quality station at Rough and Ready Island near Stockton in San Joaquin County, California, USA. Photo credit: Elizabeth Wells, Ph. D. (DWR)
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The Lake Tahoe Aquatic Invasive Species Program is implemented by 40 public and private partner organizations, including federal, state, and local jurisdictions, research partners, public utility districts, and private marinas. The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and the Tahoe Resource Conservation District lead the program in collaboration with the public and private partners. The program’s mission is to prevent, detect, and control aquatic invasive species in the Region so that future generations can enjoy Lake Tahoe. For additional information, contact Victoria Ortiz, Community Engagement Manager, at (775) 589-5281 or vortiz@trpa.gov.
Oct 23, 2024
Lake Tahoe, Stateline, Nev. – The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) Governing Board today has hired attorney Graham St. Michel as the agency’s General Counsel to oversee compliance cases, violation settlements, and other legal issues for the bi-state agency. He will fill the position held by John L. Marshall, who served as TRPA counsel for a total of 25 years.
St. Michel, who is a graduate of South Tahoe High School, has served as TRPA’s associate counsel since February of this year. He holds a bachelor’s degree in public policy from the University of Southern California and a juris doctorate from Lewis & Clark Law School. St. Michel has practiced law for 16 years including private practice and serving as in-house counsel with the California Department of Conservation and the California Tahoe Conservancy.
“I have dedicated my professional life to environmental law and public service, and TRPA’s mission has been a guiding inspiration for me from the start,” St. Michel said.
“The board welcomes Graham, and I am confident he will continue to safeguard the public’s interest in protecting and restoring Lake Tahoe,” TRPA Governing Board Chair and Placer County Supervisor Cindy Gustafson said. “We thank John Marshall for his years of service and for helping to build the legal underpinnings of this unique agency.”
Marshall was a key member of the legal team which successfully defended Regional Plan policies protecting sensitive stream environment zones in front of the U.S. Supreme Court. The case, Tahoe Sierra Preservation Council v. Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, is often cited in environmental law and public policy literature.
General Counsel Graham St. Michel
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The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency leads the cooperative effort to preserve, restore, and enhance the unique natural and human environment of the Lake Tahoe Region, while improving local communities, and people’s interactions with our irreplaceable environment. For additional information, contact Jeff Cowen, Public Information Officer, at (775) 589-5278 or jcowen@trpa.gov.
Oct 11, 2024
The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) is aware of the announcement made by Homewood Mountain Resort on October 11 of their decision to remain closed for the 2024-2025 winter season.
The agency has been working with Homewood management, partner agencies, and community representatives to review amendments to the master plan proposed by the property owners and continue to work through critical issues including their public access, employee housing, and fire response. When Homewood Mountain Resort finalizes their work, the agency will be able to bring the proposal to the Governing Board for consideration. TRPA understands how important Homewood is to skiers and riders and to the West Shore and we remain committed to keeping the community informed of the public process in the coming months.
Signup for updates by emailing us at HomewoodPlan@trpa.gov. More information, updates, and documents are on the Homewood Master Plan page.
Oct 11, 2024
October 2024 Update
As of October 11, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) had not yet received a formal permit application for the proposed Barton medical facility.
A separate application from Douglas County to update the South Shore Area Plan has been initiated, however elements of the update that included a special subdistrict for a medical facility on the Barton property (formerly Lakeside Inn and Casino) have been removed from the application while additional documents are prepared. Stay informed about the South Shore Area Plan amendment process on the Douglas County website.
TRPA has determined an Environmental Assessment will be needed to analyze the potential impacts of the proposed project and the South Shore Area Plan amendments related to the Barton parcel. The agency will review the applications for the project and area plan together under one Environmental Assessment. Once TRPA receives complete applications and required environmental documents, a timeline for project review, meetings, and public input opportunities will be provided on the Barton Project Page. South Shore Area Plan updates unrelated to the Barton project are still under review through a separate process.
Background
Chapter 3 of the TRPA Code of Ordinances (pg. 74) describes the process to determine the type of environmental documentation needed to review certain projects. Any project requiring environmental documentation must first submit an Initial Environmental Checklist, which helps determine if additional documentation will be needed. There are three levels:
- Initial Environmental Checklist
- Environmental Assessment
- Environmental Impact Statement
Based on the Initial Environmental Checklist for the South Shore Area Plan amendments, TRPA determined more information is needed. Environmental Assessments include a discussion of the need for the project, alternatives to the proposed project, and a discussion of potential environmental impacts of both.
Thank you for your interest in this important project. TRPA staff are keeping keep the Barton Project Page updated with information, meeting schedules, document links, public comments, and opportunities for community engagement. If you would like to be contacted directly with updates, please email BartonProject@trpa.gov and ask to be added to the contact list.
