USFS making changes in Incline Village

The U.S. Forest Service has released the draft decision notice and a finding of no significant impact for the Incline Management Plan Project. 

The draft selects alternative 2 as the proposed action. This would bring the land up to NFS standards for stream and habitat management, vegetation management, dispersed recreation management, and road and trails standards. 

Project-specific roads and trails proposals include adopting and rerouting of existing trails; replacing and/or upgrading road and trail stream crossings; installing BMPs, interpretive and wayfinding signs; creating a new trail near the former Incline Lake bed, and resource protection barriers.

Restoration activities would include removing the dam diversion ditch that connects Third Creek to the former Incline Lake bed; restoring stream channels and aquatic species habitat throughout the area; revegetating with native vegetation species areas that are degraded; restoring damage to wetlands, which resulted from water diversion activities; repairing erosion along the Franktown Ditch; developing a plan for future white bark pine management; and reducing tree density in meadow and wetland areas through forest thinning and restoration of Aspen communities.

The purpose of the Forest Plan amendment is to change the management area designation of approximately 400 acres west of Third Creek from general forest to backcountry. 

The documents are online.