New Channels Planned for the Upper Truckee River in South Lake Tahoe
From SouthTahoeNow.com:
The California Tahoe Conservancy had originally planned to get work started on their $9 million, multi-stage Upper Truckee River project to restore and enhance over 500 acres of floodplain this fall, but that has been postponed until 2020.
They will be redirecting the Upper Truckee River flows to a historical network of channels through the current Marsh while creating new channels for the river in the vicinity of the Silverwood neighborhood. These new channels will capture flow during periods of high water to spread the river throughout the Marsh. The main channel will continue to carry all of the flow during low-water periods.
The restored Marsh will act as a natural pollution filter, removing fine sediments from the water before it reaches Lake Tahoe while also improving water quality and enrich native bird and fish habitat, according to the Conservancy. With a wetter Marsh, it will be more resilient to droughts, flooding, and other climate change impacts. The Conservancy also plans to enhance public access and recreation opportunities in the northwest corner of the Marsh.
The creation of the Tahoe Keys destroyed much of the wetlands in the 1950s and 1960s. The development involved considerable dredging and filling of the area, as well as the channelization of the Upper Truckee River as it nears Lake Tahoe. Prior to the development of the Tahoe Keys, the Marsh covered 1,600 acres, more than three times its current size.
Conservancy staff and consultants are completing the final steps necessary to start constructing the Marsh project. Initial implementation efforts will consist of redirecting high flows into historic channels in the center of the Marsh, converting the “Sailing Lagoon” to functioning wetland, removing fill material, and improving the trail to Cove East Beach.
Once work has been completed with the multiple funding and permitting agencies involved in the project this winter, the Conservancy will update the community with a definitive outlook on the specific plans ahead.
