Opinion: Don’t change Washoe Meadows State Park

To the community,

Anyone who values open space and concurs with the wisdom of Native Americans that all living things are interconnected should be appalled by what is happening in Washoe Meadows State Park near South Lake Tahoe. California State Parks Department (CSP) plans to downgrade a portion of Washoe Meadows State Park to State Recreation Area in order to pave the way for golf course development. To my knowledge, never in the history of this state has a state park been downgraded to state recreation status.

The Upper Truckee River Restoration Project is being sold as a package deal, tied to golf course development. The final EIR has been released and CSP has stated that their preferred alternate is “a slightly modified version of Alternative 2”. Under this alternative the boundaries between State Recreation and State Park land will be reconfigured and nine golf holes will be moved to the west side of the Upper Truckee River. This will fragment the park, disturb currently contiguous wildlife corridors, result in the logging of thousands of trees, destroy wildlife habitats, and diminish the park experience as river access will be significantly altered and more of the park will be bordered by the golf course.

It’s not too late to get involved. A public hearing, to approve redrawing the boundaries between State Park and State Recreation Area will be held at 9am Oct. 21 at the Lake Tahoe Golf Course. Please attend and help us preserve Washoe Meadows State Park. If, like me, you can’t attend a 9am meeting on a work day, please write to: California State Park & Recreation Commission, P.O. Box 942896, Sacramento, CA 94296-0001, Attn. Louis Nastro, Assistant to the Commission; or email him at LNastro@parks.ca.gov.

Restore the river and preserve Washoe Meadows State Park.

Sincerely,

Krissi Russell, South Lake Tahoe