Lake   Tanoe
CA NV
   WHY IS THIS WATERSHED SPECIAL?

   Because of its extraordinary water clarity, Lake Tahoe is
   designated an Outstanding National  Resource, which
   affords it the highest level of protection under the federal
   Clean Water Act. At 6,223 feet above sea level in the
   Sierra Nevada mountains, the lake spans portions of
   both California and Nevada and is a national scenic
   and recreational treasure. The second deepest lake  in
   North America, with a maximum depth measured at
   1,645 feet, it is the tenth deepest in the world. It
   contains enough water to cover the entire State of
   California to a depth of 14.5 inches.  The region's
   annual $1 billion economy depends heavily on the
   beauty of this sapphire-blue lake, which attracts
   millions of visitors each year to its stunning peaks and
   beautiful shorelines.


   ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES

   Since 1968, scientists have measured a decline in the
   lake's famous water clarity at the alarming rate of one
   foot per year due to algae growth and suspended
   sediments associated with human activity. During this
   time, Lake Tahoe's clarity, as measured by a plate sized
   secchi disk, has declined from 29.5 meters (97 feet) to
   22.5 meters (74 feet).

   •  Recent research indicates that in-basin atmospheric
      pollutants contribute significantly to the decline in
      clarity.

   •  Population increases, air pollution, stream channel
      erosion, upland erosion, loss of wetlands, and
      historical sewage disposal have contributed to lost
      water clarity.

   •  Nitrogen, phosphorus and fine sediment from
      streams, groundwater, urban runoff, and atmospheric
      deposition are responsible for degrading water
      quality.
          Eagle Falls (Jon Pau
           RESTORATION ACTIVITIES

           Numeric limits on urban runoff, construction controls,
           and stormwater treatment for existing and new
           development as established by the Tahoe Regional
           Planning Agency's Regional Plan have been in place
           since 1987. Although both point and nonpoint source
           controls are more prevalent in Tahoe than many places
           in the United States, work currently underway to
           develop a Lake Tahoe Nutrients and Sediment Total
           Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) will allow for more
           scientific, market-based approaches to restoring lake
           clarity to be developed and evaluated. EPA Targeted
           Watersheds Grant funds will be used to:

           •  Evaluate the potential for, and if determined to be
             feasible, develop a water quality trading strategy that
             will include cross media (air-water) opportunities and
             will link land use, air pollution, and best
             management  measures to water clarity goals

           •  Evaluate new approaches and technologies for
             pollution control at Lake Tahoe, including measures
             to control air-borne pollutants from transportation
             sources

           •  Incorporate data on new and traditional Best
             Management  Practices (BMP) into a matrix to
             determine their basin-wide potential  to achieve
             required numeric load reductions, information that
             will help guide watershed management decisions
             and potentially enable trading
EPA's TARGETED WATERSHEDS GRANTS

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                                                                                                       ^2*8*^
 A STRONG  PARTNERSHIP
 FOR CHANGE

 To restore lake clarity, the Lahontan Regional Water
 Quality Board and the Nevada Division of
 Environmental  Protection will collaborate on developing
 the Lake Tahoe Nutrients and Sediment Total Maximum
 Daily Load, a holistic watershed plan to address water
 quality impairments. The Lake Tahoe Basin is unique in
 that two states  (Nevada and  California) and numerous
 entities have been engaged in watershed  protection
 efforts for years. The number, nature, and longevity of
 active stakeholder groups demonstrate the high degree
 of coordination already occurring. These groups
 include:

 •  Water Quality and  Transportation Coalition

 •  Lake Tahoe  Interagency Monitoring Program

 •  Storm Water Quality Improvement Committee

 •  Lake Tahoe  Environmental Education Coalition

 •  Lake Tahoe Science Consortium

 •  Numerous government agencies at the federal, state
    and local level

                                                   Alpine Morning (Jon Paul)
"The Targeted Watershed Grant could not have happened at a better time. The grant
will greatly expand on our ability to strategically plan for the protection of Lake Tahoe
and improve the water clarity for which the lake is famed."


- Dave Roberts, Environmental Scientist, Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control
  Board, Lake Tahoe Sediment and Nutrients TMDL Project Manager
                                                                                         www.epa .gov/twg

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