Tahoe RCD’s Restoration Program was established in 2018 upon acquisition of Johnson Meadow, with the goal of preserving and restoring the environments of the Lake Tahoe Basin.

Since that time, we have been planning a full restoration of Johnson Meadow and middle reaches 1 and 2 of the Upper Truckee River. Beyond Johnson Meadow, the program has expanded to include working with the US Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit to study habitat and watershed health in the Glen Alpine watershed, working with the California Tahoe Conservancy to restore and care for the Upper Truckee River corridor, exploring ways to help private landowners mitigate impacts on their property, and much more! We are always exploring project possibilities with public and private partners to help keep the Lake Tahoe Basin healthy! Our restoration work has been funded and supported by federal, state, and private funders and supported by a diverse array of community and public agency partners. These supporters include California Tahoe Conservancy, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, California Wildlife Conservation Board, Keep Tahoe Blue, U.S. Forest Service - Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, Bureau of Reclamation, and Tahoe Fund.

Our biggest project, the Johnson Meadow and Upper Truckee River Restoration Project, has recently hit key milestones and will be set to start construction next summer! We have been working hard for more than seven years to plan this project. We have received valuable input from the community and restoration work will start with the construction of a grade control structure and bank protections at the Highway 50 bridge on the Upper Truckee River in South Lake Tahoe. We are currently working on finalizing funding and securing the necessary permits for this important work. You may see some equipment and construction activities out there next summer so stay tuned for more information and learn what to expect!