The U.S. Fish and wildlife service with the tahoe regional planning agency and its partners work to prevent new introductions of aquatic invasive species and to control or extirpate existing AIS in…

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has awarded a $4,994,024.20 Cooperative Agreement to the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) under the Fish and Aquatic Conservation - Aquatic Invasive Species (CFDA 15.608) federal grant program. The funds will be used by TRPA and its partners to prevent new introductions of aquatic invasive species and control or extirpate existing invasive species in the Lake Tahoe region. Key activities include operating a mandatory watercraft inspection and decontamination program, planning and conducting invasive aquatic plant and fish removal projects, and implementing lake-wide monitoring and early detection efforts. This funding will complement other sources and helps TRPA fulfill the requirements of the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act to achieve a 90% reduction in invasive aquatic plants over a 10-year period starting in 2021. The award period runs from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2027.

The U.S. Fish and wildlife service with the tahoe regional planning agency and its partners work to prevent new introductions of aquatic invasive species and to control or extirpate existing AIS in the lake tahoe region. To prevent new invasions all motorized watercraft are required to be inspected and potentially decontaminated prior to launching in the waters of lake tahoe. The lake tahoe restoration act 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 fishspecies 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 a 90 percent reduction in invasive aquatic plants over a ten year planning horizon that started in 2021.