clarity

When the American Century Champsionship comes to South Lake Tahoe July 19-24, Korbel California Champagne® will be joining them for the fifth year by hosting a $250,000 Closest to the Pin competition in addition to the favorite annual “Celebrity Spray-Off,” which encourages players to show off their champagne-spraying skills.

Along with having their tent offering cocktails between holes 17 and 18, Korbel will offer fans and celebrities numerous opportunities to participate in the fun such as:

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) and its partners have started work on the Shoreline Plan, a collaborative planning process to enhance recreation and protect Lake Tahoe’s 72 miles of shoreline.

The aim is to strike a balance between recreational access, the many uses along Tahoe’s shores, and environmental protection. An inclusive, open public process will bring in as many voices and viewpoints as possible to represent a wide range of stakeholders in developing new policy and code over the next two years.

To keep Tahoe cherished and known for its beauty, locals try in their best efforts to “keep Tahoe blue.” Sadly, negative effects in our ecosystems come from humans which could damage the clarity of the lake and the air quality. Bad air quality comes from numerous sources, such as car emissions, uncontained fires, and contributors to toxic runoff into the forest; these sources of pollution must be stopped.

There’s talk of expansion in South Lake Tahoe, but this town must be mindful of its beloved nature. However, it has the capability of evolving into a prosperous city through tactful ways of expanding and changing. The awareness of the League to Save Lake Tahoe, the city's plans for airport reconstruction, and the growing tourism industry in California show that expansion for South Lake Tahoe is beneficial, or at least manageable, for everyone.

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Our home of beautiful South Lake Tahoe is one of the biggest tourist attractions in the world. With around 4.3 million visitors in 2011, as well as certain main events and holidays where our city's population doubles and even triples. With this nonstop tourism occurring throughout South Lake Tahoe, it only makes sense to have a “downtown” area, which is what the loop road will provide. Despite the concerns of how the loop road will hurt our community, there are a lot of long term social and environmental benefits involved in this project.

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The Tahoe Transportation District (TTD) Board today unanimously approved a set of principles to clarify and guide the final design and implementation of the US Highway 50 South Shore Community Revitalization Project, also known as the Loop Road Project.

This plan that will answer some community member's concerns about the project by addressing right-of-way, housing, road construction, assistance and support for affected businesses, and continued community involvement.

Warmer water led to a loss in clarity of Lake Tahoe in 2015, according to data released Tuesday by the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency. The average annual clarity (measurements from both summer and winter) is at 73.1 feet, a 4.8 foot decease from the previous year.

This isn't all bad news though, the clarity is still over nine feet greater than the lowest recorded average of 64.1 feet in 1997.

Researchers lower a 10-inch wide disk called a Secchi into the lake, and researchers measure the depth of its visibility.

When people visit Tahoe for the first time, they marvel at the extraordinary natural landscape and fresh, clean air. At the same time, some are shocked at the dilapidated condition of the built environment: rundown buildings, crumbling infrastructure, and tired-looking development. The paradox is compelling. Despite TRPA’s mandate to harmonize the natural and human-made landscapes so that they blend together, outdated development that preceded environmental standards now serves as blight in our community.

On Thursday, the California Tahoe Conservancy Board awarded more than $7 million for seven watershed restoration and forest health projects around the lake. Thirteen different applicants submitted 32 grant requests totaling $30 million, but with just $13,950,000 to give out, it was a very competitive process.

The money comes from Proposition 1, the $7.545 billion water bond approved overwhelmingly by California voters in November 2014. It was divided around the state to agencies like the Conservancy for water supply infrastructure projects.

South Lake Tahoe residents may remember Courtney Walker when she worked for the Tahoe Resource Conservation District and Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, but now she has a new job as the newly hired Douglas County Stormwater Program Manager.

She is bringing with her over 10 years of experience with stormwater and watershed management. With much of her experience in the Tahoe and Carson River Watershed area, Courtney is well versed in local stormwater and watershed coordination.

Over the past eight building seasons, a bi-state collaborative effort of the South Tahoe Public Utility District, U.S. Forest Service and the other area water agencies has enhanced the Lake Tahoe Basin's water infrastructure to better fight wildfires.

At Lake Tahoe, we know our natural resources are one of our most valuable assets, and that’s why we have worked for decades to conserve and restore them. The natural wonders of the Jewel of the Sierra and the opportunities they afford are why we live here, and why millions of visitors travel here to enjoy the Tahoe Basin each year.

After decades of planning, analysis, and public input, the California Tahoe Conservancy Board recently approved the final plan to restore the largest remaining wetland in the Lake Tahoe Basin. The Upper Truckee River and Marsh Restoration Project will restore over 500 acres of highly disturbed wetland habitat, improving the natural filtration capacity of the Marsh and reducing a major source of fine sediment that clouds Tahoe’s famed lake clarity.

With the onset of winter weather, all construction activity has concluded for the season on state highways in the Lake Tahoe Basin, but significant upgrades have been completed.

Marking thirteen years of adventure sports cinematography and culture, Tahoe Adventure Film Festival (TAFF) is the annual gathering of the who’s who of outdoor adventure set in a hypnotic theatrical show of go-go dancers, DJs, and dramatic action imagery by Aurora Photos. It’s where the industry’s best filmmakers premier their latest adventure sports films one night only hosted by festival creator and swashbuckler, Todd Offenbacher. This year's festival in South Lake Tahoe will be on Friday, December 11, 2015 at MontBleu Resort at 7:30 p.m.

The Loop Road project in South Lake Tahoe has undergone changes, from being a federally funded project to realign Highway 50 to evolving into a community development project that promises to beautify, provide new gateways and gathering places. Without this plan being a federal project allows local control and development.

The revamped US Highway 50/South Shore Community Revitalization Project will be presented to the community during an open house on Tuesday, December 1 at the Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Pipe Keepers is a citizen science program to address the threat of stormwater pollution entering Lake Tahoe. Runoff from rain storms and snowmelt is the largest source of pollution that degrades Lake clarity. League staff will train you to survey local neighborhoods and collect stormwater samples during rain and snowmelt events.

The Nevada Department of Transportation is urging residents to help protect water quality by preventing and reporting illicit drainage and discharge onto state roads and transportation facilities.

Illicit discharge is anything entering a roadway drainage system that is not natural stormwater. Pesticides, construction dirt or materials, as well as materials from neighboring properties and roadway runoff containing fertilizers, vehicle oil and chemicals are examples.

There will soon be a new Fanny Bridge in Tahoe City now that the Tahoe Transportation District has secured all of the $33 million needed to complete the State Route 89/Fanny Bridge Community Revitalization Project and Meeks Bay Trail Project.

Everyone hopes for a winter of big storms at Lake Tahoe. Recent media hype evokes images of a "Godzilla" El Niño. But for Tahoe, big storms come with big impacts to Lake clarity as snowmelt and stormwater runoff transport pollutants and fine sediment into the Lake.

So how do Tahoe communities protect the Lake from big storm events?

Volunteers from the South Shore community have stepped up to adopt, and maintain, the decorative gateways signs that welcome motorists to the Lake Tahoe basin.

The signs read, “Entering the Lake Tahoe Watershed – Help Protect It!” They are meant to remind the millions of people who visit Tahoe each year that they are entering a special place and share a duty to help protect its famously clear waters and unique environment.

Lawmakers from Nevada and California met Monday on the shores of Lake Tahoe to discuss how to protect a national treasure as it faces continued threats to water clarity, invasive species, wildfire and drought.

Ever since President Bill Clinton held the first meeting in South Lake Tahoe in 1997, the annual focus of the Lake Tahoe Summit is to protect what Mark Twain called "the fairest picture the whole world affords."

A new smartphone app encourages Lake Tahoe beach-goers of all ages to help scientists better understand conditions around the lake.

The Tahoe Transportation District recently appointed Russ Nygaard as transportation capital program manager to oversee the planning, design and execution of the agency's capital projects.

With 26 years engineering experience in transportation and bridge projects, Nygaard will perform project management duties and assist with funding procurement and budget maintenance while ensuring all federal requirements are met and executed on schedule.