|
2011 Threshold Evaluation Report
The Lake Tahoe Regional Plan sets goals and policies to achieve the Environmental Thresholds. Threshold Carrying Capacities are standards of environmental quality targets to be achieved in the Tahoe Region. The standards identify the level of human impact the Lake Tahoe environment can take before irreparable damage occurs. The Threshold report is completed every four years in conjunction with the adaptive four-year cycle of updating the Regional Plan.
The Final 2011 Threshold Evaluation Report shows the Tahoe Basin made environmental gains over the last five years, but highlights water quality as a continued area of concern.
The comprehensive report offers a snapshot of the health of the ecosystem in the Tahoe Basin by documenting the status and trends of 151 environmental standards ranging from air and water quality to fish and wildlife. The biggest improvements were documented in air and water quality, and scenic resources, although gains in the key area of annual water clarity continue to be elusive.
This evaluation is the fifth report published since the adoption of the Regional Plan in 1987 and was reviewed by an independent panel of scientific experts. The Tahoe Science Consortium coordinated the peer review and the scientists found the report to be technically sound and an improvement over previous evaluations, according to the report.
(click here) for Dr. James Mahoney's comments on the peer-reviewed report.
There are nine threshold areas:
Water Quality
Air Quality
Scenic Resources
Soil Conservation
Fish Habitat
Vegetation
Wildlife Habitat
Noise
Recreation
|