Source: USFS

Start paddling now because a popular section of the Upper Truckee River is going to be off limits for most of the summer.

The U.S. Forest Service and California Tahoe Conservancy will resume work June 13 on what is now the fourth year of creating a new channel for the river. The river and meadow will not be open to the public.

The river in the work area will closed from June 27-Oct. 15. This will start at Elks Club and go past Lake Tahoe Airport.

The goal of the project is to have the river meander how it did prior to being straightened years ago when ranching was prevalent in the area. The eroding banks carry sediment to Lake Tahoe, thus making is less clear.

Part of the work includes building a bridge and relocating native mussels. The bridge will be built starting June 13. This will impact those re-creating on the water, too. They will have to portage their vessel until the ban takes effect two weeks later.

Next season kayakers and the like will be on the new channel.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report