News & Views
Lake Tahoe receives $3.4 million to fight aquatic invasive species

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced US $3.4 million in funding to prevent and combat the spread of aquatic invasive species in Lake Tahoe, located on the border of California and Nevada.

The funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will support existing cooperative agreements with The Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency to prevent and combat the spread of aquatic invasive species in Lake Tahoe.

“This significant investment from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda comes at a crucial time as the Lake Tahoe Basin continues to see threats from the introduction and spread of aquatic invasive species,” said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s director, Martha Williams, who made the announcement on June 6.

“The valued partnerships and Tribal leadership in the Basin provide the collaborative environment needed to restore the habitats of Lahontan cutthroat trout and other native species,” Williams added.

Aquatic invasive species management is a priority of the Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program. In 2022, about 17 acres of benthic barriers were installed in Taylor and Tallac Creeks and adjoining marshes to kill common invasive weeds, like the Eurasian watermilfoil. 

The service was awarded $17 million over five years to expand important collaborative efforts for Lake Tahoe’s conservation, restoration and resilience. This announcement marks the third year of funding for these restoration projects. 

The department has also launched the Invasive Species Keystone Initiative, a key conservation initiative through the Restoration and Resilience framework, that will guide $2 billion in investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act. 

The project team identified projects that will increase tribal engagement and participation in ecosystem restoration efforts and inform future program priorities with traditional perspectives and methods. This will strengthen collaboration with the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California.