The Tahoe Keys has been a hot topic the past year or so with dredging and weed management at the forefront. Lake Tahoe takes the protection of our gorgeous blue waters very seriously and anything that could negatively impact the quality of the water is heavily discussed and in the end, likely forbidden. Almost more than half of the Tahoe Keys waterways are infested with aggressive weeds known as curlyleaf pondweed and Eurasian Watermilfoil. These weeds are considered aggressive as they interfere with native species, boating, recreational activities and more. The fear with this particular situation is that this could spread to other parts of the lake. The Home Owners Association in the Tahoe Keys has worked very hard to keep the issue at bay and released a drafted Tahoe Keys Integrated Weed Management Plan back in August. The plans goal is reduce the weed issue over the next 5 years by 80%. While a collective effort, the plan so far is to use diver assisted suctioning, mechanical harvesters, mats on the bottom barrier and surprisingly-herbicides. The combination of chemical and non chemical procedures is believed to be an effective form of management by the group brought together to fix this problem. Of course, there has been quite a bit of opposition against the use of herbicides in the lake. Folks are concerned about the clarity and our famously fresh drinking water. The final plan of action is still in the works so stay tuned for updates!
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