Let’s Take Our Chance
Aquatic invasive species — weeds, fish and clams — are the greatest ecological threat to Lake Tahoe. On the south shore, the Tahoe Keys’ man-made lagoons are ground zero for the infestation of aquatic invasive weeds in Tahoe, and the problem is spreading. More than 100 acres of the lake itself are infected. The methods used thus far to tackle the weeds haven’t worked. So, we must try something new before Tahoe crosses the tipping point. Once Lake Tahoe’s waters go green, there’s no way to turn them back.
In mid-January, a proposal to test a wide range of weed control methods comes up for approval. The “Control Methods Test” includes a suite of proven technologies from around the world, along with emerging methods and new combinations of these treatments — including ultraviolet light, laminar flow aeration, and a one-time, targeted use of herbicides in enclosed, dead-end lagoons — to reveal how we can beat back the weeds and protect the lake. The test has been through more than a year of strict environmental, scientific and regulatory review to get to this point.
The community, agencies, and everyone involved with the proposal is approaching the possible use of herbicides with caution and care, and that’s exactly as it should be. No one takes the Tahoe Basin’s ecological health more seriously than the League to Save Lake Tahoe. We support the test because science clearly shows that aquatic weeds pose a dire threat, the status quo will not solve the problem, strict controls will safeguard the environment during the trials, and the fate of Lake Tahoe is at stake.
The project’s environmental studies conclude that taking no action, or continuing what’s being done now, will result in the most harmful outcome for the lake. This test gives us the chance to avoid the worst. Let’s take it.
Darcie Goodman Collins, PhD is CEO of the League to Save Lake Tahoe, also known as Keep Tahoe Blue.
