Science to Action: Aquatic

The aquatic Science to Action Plan prioritizes research needed to refine our understanding of Lake Tahoe’s clarity and water quality conditions. The current  recommendations are being used guide the investment of immediately available funding, while the broader vision  describes investment needed for  decision-relevant science that anticipates critical emerging issues relevant to lake water quality and ecosystem health.

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The Council initiated priority projects to address changing conditions in Lake Tahoe and provide recommendations for the data and tools needed to anticipate impacts and test management scenarios for building system resilience:  

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1)     An assessment of the diverging trends in summer and winter clarity.

2)   A review of existing clarity evaluation and prediction tools. This includes identifying data gaps and recommending next steps for clarity model development.

3)    A project to evaluate fluxes of water and nutrients along transect(s) in the Lake Tahoe West watershed(s) and model their fate in nearshore and offshore regions of Lake Tahoe.

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4) A coordinated effort to assess, synthesize, and communicate ongoing data collection efforts related to Lake Tahoe’s clarity and establish regular communication practices to keep resource management partners informed regarding water quality conditions.