The U.S. Fish and wildlife SERVICE (SERVICE), tahoe regional planning agency (TRPA), and its partners work to prevent new introductions of aquatic invasive species (AIS) and to control or extirpate…

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has awarded a $4,988,994 Cooperative Agreement to the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) under the Fish and Wildlife Management Assistance (CFDA 15.608) program to prevent new introductions of aquatic invasive species and control existing invasive species in the Lake Tahoe region. The key products and services to be delivered under this 3-year agreement include:

Operating a mandatory watercraft inspection and decontamination program to prevent new aquatic invasive species introductions, planning and executing control projects to physically remove or kill invasive aquatic plants, fish, and mollusks, and conducting lake-wide invasive species monitoring, post-project surveillance, and early detection/rapid response activities. TRPA will coordinate these efforts with state agencies, local entities, and research institutions as sub-recipients through this Cooperative Agreement. The project aims to achieve significant reductions in invasive aquatic plants in Lake Tahoe over a 10-year period starting in 2021, as outlined in the Lake Tahoe Aquatic Invasive Species Action Agenda.

The U.S. Fish and wildlife SERVICE (SERVICE), tahoe regional planning agency (TRPA), and its partners work to prevent new introductions of aquatic invasive species (AIS) and to control or extirpate existing AIS in the lake tahoe region. Toprevent new invasions, all motorized watercraft are required to be inspected, and potentially decontaminated prior to launching in the waters of lake tahoe. Section 5(D)(2) subparagraph B of the lake tahoe restoration act (LTRA) directs all aspects of the watercraft inspection program, such that the inspection and decontamination program is conducted by TRPA through implementing entities with funds available from a broad array of sources. Funds from this agreement will be used to complement funds from these other sources. This existing program fully satisfies the requirements of LTRA and will complement other control projects consistent with LTRA. In addition to the watercraft inspection program, control projects will be planned and subsequently performed in the lake to kill and or physically remove invasive aquatic plant and fish species, or kill invasive mollusks such as asian clams. Additionally, monitoring of AIS on a lake-wide basis, post-project surveillance, and early detection and rapid response, is critical to protect the investment of these projects and to strategically plan future projects identified in the lake tahoe AIS action agenda. The action agenda presents the funding needed to implement and oversee projects to achieve significant reductions in invasive aquatic plants over a ten-year planning horizon that started in 2021.