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HISTORY
The Tahoe Resource Conservation District (TRCD) is one of nearly 3000 conservation districts across the country helping people protect land, water, forests, wildlife and related natural resources. TRCD was formed by the State Legislature in 1974 under Division 9 of the California Public Resources Code.
Current programs at TRCD focus on erosion control, runoff infiltration, invasive species control, and native landscaping. TRCD staff is also available for assistance with fire defensible space, water conservation, fertilizer management and wildlife habitat enhancement.
LOCATION/BOUNDARIES
TRCD’s work area covers all land in California within the Lake Tahoe Basin. One of TRCD’s partner agencies, the Nevada Tahoe Conservation District, works with properties on the Nevada side of the Basin.
LAKE TAHOE
The Lake Tahoe Basin is unlike any other place in the world. The size, clarity, and surrounding natural beauty are Lake Tahoe’s most famous features. At 22 miles long, 12 miles wide, and 1645 feet deep, the size alone makes Lake Tahoe stand out among subalpine lakes of the world. Add to that exceptional clarity and water quality, and it’s easy to see why Lake Tahoe is designated an Outstanding Natural Resource Water under the United States Environmental Protection Agency Water Quality Standards Program and the Clean Water Act.
Lake Tahoe’s beauty, international fame, and close proximity to populated areas of California contribute to the high number of visitors to the Basin each year. Increased development and recreational tourism at Tahoe is responsible for the negative impact on the surrounding natural environment. Since Lake Tahoe is located at the bottom of a bowl-shaped watershed, all runoff from streams, roads, and developed properties eventually ends up in the Lake. The biggest causes in the decline of Lake Tahoe’s famous clarity are sediment and nutrient inputs from these contributing sources. TRCD works with the public and other agencies to try to reverse this downward trend in lake clarity and ecosystem health, and to conserve the natural beauty of the Tahoe Basin for generations to come. |
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