Forest Service explains river restoration work
Sue Norman and Stephanie Heller with the U.S. Forest Service talk in front of the new channel of the Upper Truckee River. Photo/Kathryn Reed
By Kathryn Reed
Not everyone is buying what the U.S. Forest Service is selling.
What the feds are selling is that changing how the Upper Truckee River flows is a good thing. What many on a tour of the project weren’t buying is whether this four-year $4 million project is needed.
Seventeen people on Aug. 2 meandered through the meadow on the other side of Lake Tahoe Airport looking at the work that is under way and how the current river flows.
“How do they know it will be what they say?” Louise Wigart said to Lake Tahoe News.
The Forest Service points to High Meadow and Cookhouse Meadow as being successful restoration projects.
Wigart’s husband, Corky, called it “overkill.” He’s been canoeing, fishing and hiking on and along the river for decades and sees no need to create a new channel. If something needs to be fixed, fix the existing channel is his philosophy.
But that strategy isn’t being used on any section of the river. Instead, the respective owners are each gradually rerouting the river in an attempt to restore the meander to what it was before humans changed it decades ago. Officials say working in the existing river is cost-prohibitive and would lead to greater degradation of lake clarity.
The goal is to put more curves in the river. Some sections had been straightened during grazing, logging and quarry operations. Curves will slow down the rate at which the water travels. This in turn is designed to lessen the erosion on the banks.
The Upper Truckee River, according to scientists, is the No. 1 contributor of fine sediment to Lake Tahoe. That sediment is what the same scientists claim contributes to the decline of lake clarity.
While this project is about keeping the lake clear, that is not the primary goal.
“This is mostly an ecosystem project,” Stephanie Heller with the U.S. Forest Service told those on the Friday tour. She said raising the water table and providing more habitat are critical components of the project.
The channel today is deep. The eroding banks impossible to miss. The meadow bone dry.
And while the meadow may be dry in August in the future, that will not be the case in early summer. The new channel is being designed so it will be shallower, flow at about one-fourth the rate of the current channel, all with the expectation it will flood the meadow two out every three years.
Some people along the tour questioned whether the project is going to really have an impact on lake clarity.
It is the overall reduction of sediment that is measured, not individual reaches.
There will be another tour of the project on Oct. 25.
The channel length is not increasing much at all. This river was also never modified by man or even as part of the airport construction. It is pristine and beautiful. scientist will have a hard time selling this and if it fails will be seen by everyone. Watching this disturbance occur in this beautiful meadow is truly horrible to witness. What is the cost of failure…
What once caught the silt from going into the lake was the Tahoe Key’s area meadow. Which ran from Al Tahoe to Camp Richardson. One Giant Filter, Lets re-locate Tahoe Key’s.
Gee – If they would quit killing the Beavers they would do the job for free and save the taxpayers $$$$$$&&&&!!!!!!!!
I’d like it if they could stop the golfballs from the Meyers golf course from getting into the lake. Sediment! How about the golfballs?
They should not be allowed to leave the Meyers property. They are an unnatural eyesore all the way down the Truckee to the lake.
Clarification…Of all the contributing water bodies, the Upper Truckee River is the largest contributor of sediment to Lake Tahoe. The overall largest contributor of sediment to Lake Tahoe are road particulates.
I believe that of all the inflow to Lake Tahoe, less than 5% comes from all streams and rivers combined. The TMDL scientists could comment on the accuracy of this. Most of the particulate matter than causes the decline in clarity comes from road dust and vehicle exhaust.
” Watching this disturbance occur in this beautiful meadow is truly horrible to witness”
From the article:
“The channel today is deep. The eroding banks impossible to miss. The meadow bone dry.”
The ecosystem is broken dude…. I don’t know what metrics you are using, but the data doesn’t support your perspective.
Sighhhhh
Just have to say. After listening to that girl explain the project. I wouldn’t let them wash my Truck. They obviously Have no clue what there talking about. Waste of Money.. Who ok’s the time and recourse on this crap.
Drake, if I linked you to a bunch of research papers on river restoration and case studies in the Basin.
You wouldn’t read them. That is a big problem.
They have to dumb down their presentations because of people like you who won’t read. They actually have to hire public affairs people who do nothing but figure out how to explain science and management to the lowest common denominator.
Science.. HAHA. It more like Option. They say it themselves. WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY>>> THere is NO science behind any of it. Keep in mind 4 Million Dollars. FOR What. With 4 million we could do allot more impact full projects. LIke fixing the image of the 50 or getting rid of the trailer parks that bring down property values. Or about 1000 other projects that actuality make a difference. And your right it is not the girls fault for trying to explain this Waste. It is everyone above her.
You are an ignorant troll.
‘I can’t comprehend it, therefore it does not exist’
Smart people use computers for more than solitaire.
It’s hard to believe they are building a new river. The river has been that way forever and is amazing. As mentioned in the article why can’t they work in the channel that is already there. Arent there easier ways to make it flood. The new river looks so unnatural. To much construction is occurring traumatizing the wildlife and public. Contrary to what has been said the erosion is not bad. Rivers erode and move all the time. Won’t it erode after construction? Don’t all rivers erode? How long will it take for vegetation to shade the river? Won’t the stream temperature go up? Where will the fish hide? I know people catch good size fish there all the time now. It’s an amazing place. I can’t imagine how they will make it better. This seems like a waste of money. Nature is not perfect. Pescado.., you are very arrogant. Everyone is a moron but you.
C’mon people …… we’re trying to keep our gene pool deficiencies a secret here at Tahoe.
Close the Tahoe Keys? Where would all the environmental activists and lawyers live? The USFS sure has spiffy uniforms, don’t they? It is incredible to see how little can be accomplished by a bureaucracy with almost unlimited funds.