News Release

US Forest Service
Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit 
35 College Drive
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
Public Affairs (530) 543-2627
Fax: (530) 543-2743

Date: November 14, 2008
Contact: Public Affairs, Cheva Heck (530) 543-2608 or Rex Norman (530) 543-2627

Public Comment Sought for Restoration Proposed Along Upper Truckee River

Joint Project Near South Lake Tahoe Between US Forest Service and the California Tahoe Conservancy

South Lake Tahoe, CA. --The US Forest Service, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU), in cooperation with the California Tahoe Conservancy (CTC), is seeking public comment on a proposed action for a significant restoration project along the Sunset Reach portion of the Upper Truckee River from the Hwy 50 crossing near Elks Club Drive, northward to approximately mid-way through the South Lake Tahoe Airport runway.

The purpose of this project is to restore natural river and floodplain connections and functions to the Upper Truckee River within the Sunset Reach, while also significantly improving water quality as well as habitat for aquatic and terrestrial wildlife.

The entire length of channel in the Sunset Reach Project area is proposed for restoration under this proposed action. The LTBMU currently manages about 1/3 of the channel in the project area, and the CTC manages approximately 2/3 of the channel and floodplain.

The Sunset Reach of the Upper Truckee River shows signs of instability, including active bank failures and channel widening, and aquatic, riparian and meadow habitats are degraded. Human alterations and impacts in the past included urban development, gravel mining, grazing, road building, bridge construction, airport construction, sewer line installation, and timber harvest. Instead of floodwaters moving onto and across the original floodplain, annual floodwaters rush through a deep and widening channel. This erosion carries sediments and fine particles into Lake Tahoe, degrading water quality and lake clarity. This proposed action if implemented, will greatly reduce the release of sediments and fine particles overtime, and restore many natural processes the river lost due to human impacts and development.

In order to restore this portion of the Upper Truckee, this project would involve constructing approximately 12,000 feet of new channel, planting and temporarily irrigating approximately 24,000 feet of native vegetation, and creating floodplain features that enhance habitat for wildlife and plant species. Conifer encroachment including lodgepole pine, has been identified as a problem in the project area, and approximately 20 acres would see some conifers removed, and roughly 11,000 feet of disturbed stream channel restored and re-vegetated with appropriate native plant species. Other work will help the river to re-establish natural patterns of water flow.

The LTBMU and CTC have been working as partners on this project since 2005 for project planning, management and financing. The environmental analysis will be completed jointly for the CTC and LTBMU lands, and will be documented in a combined National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)/California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) document for the entire Upper Truckee-Sunset Reach Project area.

The Forest Service and CTC plan to host a public meeting on November 20, 2008 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. to encourage interest and comment on the Upper Truckee-Sunset Reach Project. The public meeting will be held at the City of South Lake Tahoe City Council Chambers, 1901 Airport Road South Lake Tahoe, CA. If you have questions concerning special needs or to request sign language interpretation, contact Chaz Czaplicki, Civil Rights Officer at (530)543-2659 or TTY (530)543-0956, or via email at cczaplicki@fs.fed.us, no later than noon, Wednesday November 19.

How to Comment and Timeframe: If you would like to provide comment, have information the Forest Service may not be aware of, or feel you have issues regarding potential effects of the Proposed Action, please send your comments to Theresa Loupe, Interdisciplinary Team Leader, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, 35 College Dr., South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150.

Comments concerning this project will be most helpful if they are submitted by December 19, 2008. The office business hours for those providing hand-delivered comments are 8:00 am to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Oral comments may be provided during normal business hours via telephone (530) 543-2788 or in person. You may also email your comments to: comments-pacificsouthwest-ltbmu@fs.fed.us using subject: Sunset Reach Project.

If you would like to review the full Proposed Action and map for this project, they are posted on the LTBMU website: www.fs.fed.us/r5/ltbmu/projects. For further information regarding this Proposed Action, contact Theresa Loupe at (530) 543-2788, email tloupe@fs.fed.us.

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