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(click here) to download the Draft Lake Tahoe Region Aquatic Invasive Species Management Plan. (September 14, 2009; 3.6 MB Download)
The public comment period for the Draft AIS Management Plan ended April 27, 2009. Staff from multiple agencies have compiling comments for the final draft of the Plan, and comments are noted in the current draft. The Plan has been submitted to the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force for consideration of approval with the endorsement of the Governors of Nevada and California and the TRPA executive director.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the California Tahoe
Conservancy, and the Lake Tahoe AIS Coordination Committee are requesting your
help in reviewing a plan to prevent the spread of AIS to the Lake Tahoe Region.
Aquatic invasive species threaten the economic, environmental, and aesthetic
value of this important resource to states of California and Nevada.
The goals of the Plan are to:
- Prevent new introductions of AIS to the Tahoe
Region
- Limit the spread of existing AIS populations in the
Tahoe Region, by employing strategies that minimize threats to native species,
and extirpate existing AIS populations when possible
- Abate harmful ecological, economic, social and
public health impacts resulting from AIS
Aquatic invasive species such as thick growths of invasive aquatic weeds, clams,
snails, and even warm water fish threaten waterways in a number of ways.
Consequences of establishment include degradation of water quality, loss of
important habitat to native species, impacts to water conveyance structures, and
negative economic impacts to the Lake Tahoe Region. Without substantial and
coordinated AIS prevention, monitoring, control,
education, and research efforts, changes
to the Lake Tahoe ecosystem could result in severe impacts to the local economy
and unique natural setting.
Aquatic invasive species are known to be transported from
infested lakes and rivers via a variety of pathways, for example, recreational
watercraft, fishing gear, waders, construction machinery, and rafts. These
unwanted species include: the notorious zebra and quagga mussels, Eurasian
watermilfoil and curlyleaf pondweed (aquatic weeds), and Asian clams. Despite
public awareness campaigns and regulations prohibiting their introduction, both
plant and animal invaders are found on boats traveling to or preparing to launch
in Lake Tahoe and other waterbodies in the Region.
Additional studies have been carried out by researchers at the University of Nevada, Reno to measure the survivability and inherent risk of Quagga mussels at Lake Tahoe.
(click here) for an overview of the Survivability Study.
Additional
information about aquatic invasive species:
(
Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force)
(
California AIS Management Plan)
(
California Department of Fish and Game, AIS documents)
(
California Department of Fish and Game, Invasive Species Program)
(
Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers)
(
Tahoe Regional Planning Agency)
(
Tahoe Resource Conservation District, Lake Tahoe AIS Sub-program)
(
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Aquatic Nuisance Species Research
Program)
(
U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Invasive Species
Information Center (NISIC))
(
Western Regional Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species)
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