Lake Tahoe TMDL Management System

Developed and piloted an adaptive management system for TMDL implementation. System provides consistent and transparent protocols to enable annual assessment of progress towards clarity goals, research to fill critical data gaps, and informed management decisions. TMDL Program tracks loads from urban sources (when available) and activities for stream erosion, forest runoff and atmospheric deposition sources. Public is able to access progress reports via the web.

$584,325 awarded to Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP); grant financially closed Feb. 2015. NDEP contracted with Environmental Incentives 

CA RWQCB, NV DEP & EPA worked together on program development and pilot phase.  Produced first annual Synthesis of Findings and piloted on-line TMDL reporting. Overall focus on quantifying urban load reductions and engaging local jurisdictions to use crediting program to document progress and attain 5-year 10% load reduction milestone.

Mar 2011 – Dec 2014

Community Based Watershed Strategy Development

Engaged private property owners, commercial businesses and local jurisdictions in development of five community-based watershed strategies to support TMDL implementation and protect other environmental values.  Promoted regional approaches to stormwater management, building upon private property BMPs, to reduce FSP and nutrient loads. Building Nevada Tahoe Conservation District (NTCD) and Tahoe Resource Conservation District (TRCD) capacity to provide technical support to local jurisdictions for BMP implementation and maintenance and pilot use of improved stormwater tools for catchment registration.  TRCD provided contractor assistance to CA Tahoe MS4 permittees (Placer and El Dorado Cos and City of S. Lake Tahoe) to create a Stormwater Funding Partnership, identify the financial outlook for TMDL/NPDES permit implementation through 2021, and evaluate funding strategies (Phase 1 of “Road to Blue” process of which Phase 2, polling, is getting underway Summer 2016).  

$747,000 total project. Phase 1: $300,000 awarded to Tahoe Resource Conservation District and $200,000 to Nevada Tahoe Conservation District to develop five community-based strategies (three by TRCD and two by NTCD).   Phase 2 - $247,000 awarded to TRCD and NTCD. Grants are financially closed. 

Phase I - RCDs developed area planning/regional approaches in five watersheds, two of which represent local Area Plans under the RPU. Phase 2 – Using improved stormwater tools from grant #3 below, RCDs are assisting jurisdictions with beta testing of tools to calculate actual load reductions achieved since 2004 and register catchments. 

Mar 2013 – Dec 2015

Stormwater Tools Integration and Improvement

Integrated and refined existing stormwater tools (suite of models, rapid assessment methodologies and accounting tools) to prioritize stormwater implementation actions for maximum load reduction and cost effectiveness.  Created a user-friendly, web-based portal for local jurisdictions to enter urban pollutant loading data per the Lake Clarity Crediting Program. System generates TMDL accomplishment reports, with increased ease of use, transparent stakeholder collaboration, and streamlined reporting and review.  

$480,000 awarded to Nevada Division of Environmental Protection; grant financially closed June 2015. NDEP contracted with Northwest Hydraulic Consultants, 2nd Nature, and Environmental Incentives

Engaged jurisdictions to identify needed refinements to tools, implemented refinements and improvements, released and tested improved tools, and documented additional/future needs.  Encouraged jurisdictions to register catchments, perform inspections, and determine clarity credits. 

Mar 2013 – Dec 2015

Tahoe Integrated Information Management System(TIIMS)/LT INFO

Integrated Environmental Improvement Program (EIP) database and reporting tool into Lake Tahoe Information Exchange (LT INFO) platform (replacing TIIMS for purposes of EIP reporting) to enable on-line reporting of EIP accomplishments, including TMDL load reductions for urban EIP projects (when available) and non-urban project performance measures.

$669,000 to Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) Phase 1: $60,000 to produce TIIMS strategic and financial plan (completed). Phase 2: $214,000 to develop web-based EIP Reporting Tool (completed). Phase 3: As of June 2016, the grant balance is $75,804. These funds are set to expire on June 29, 2017. 

Feb 2012 – June 2017.