UPPER TRUCKEE RIVER WATERSHED STEWARDSHIP GROUP
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I participate if I do not live in the watershed?
Yes!
Do I have to be a member of the League to Save Lake Tahoe to participate?
No, all community members are encouraged to join.
How do I join the Upper Truckee River Watershed Stewardship Group and the South Lake Tahoe Water Quality Monitoring Program?
Call 530.541.5388 or click here
Can children participate in the activities of the Stewardship Group or Monitoring Program?
Yes! Learning about watershed protection and participating in Water Quality Monitoring Outings is a great way to bring the family together.
How does the regulatory community view the Upper Truckee River Watershed Stewardship Group?
The response from regulatory agencies has been very positive and welcoming. The watershed group is represented on the Upper Truckee River Watershed Advisory Group (UTRWAG), a multi-agency collaborative group. Members of the US Forest Service, California State Parks, California Tahoe Conservancy and other regulatory, academic and environmental groups participate in the UTRWAG.
What are some successful watershed groups across the country?
The South Yuba River Citizen’s League in Nevada City, CA is one of the most successful watershed groups. Check out their website at http://www.syrcl.org/. The California Watersheds Network and the Sierra Nevada Alliance maintain directories on watershed groups throughout the Sierra and California.
http://www.sierranevadaalliance.org/publications/db/pics/1111699364_4254.f_pdf.pdf
http://www.watershednetwork.org/
What is a watershed group?
A watershed group “can be defined as a locally organized, voluntary, non-regulatory group.” Many types of people participate in watershed group, and watershed groups seek to “engage representation from the board range of community interests in identifying shared values.” The goals of watershed can range from ecosystem restoration, legislative advocacy, education and water quality monitoring.
GLOSSARY:
Floodplain: the low lying land that borders a stream or river; Floodplains are usually dry but are sometimes flooded.
Headwaters: the source of a stream or river.
Meander: the winding and curving of a stream channel.
Riparian: situated or dwelling on the banks or a stream, river, or other body of water
Sinuous: Having many curves, bends and turns; Winding
Stormwater: The flow of water that results from precipitation and which occurs immediately following rainfall or as a result of snowmelt. Stormwater flows directly into the waterways; it does not go to a treatment facility. This is also called “non-point source pollution” or “run off.”
Stream Environment Zone (SEZ): usually meant to mean an area containing a body or water or a wetland. An area is considered to be an SEZ if any of the following is present: surface water, near surface groundwater, lakes or ponds, riparian vegetation or certain soils associated with beaches and marshes.
TMDL (Total Maximum Daily Load): the maximum amount of a pollutant a body of water can receive and still meet water quality standards.
Tributary: a stream that flows into another stream or body of water
Wetland: the area between dry land and open water; wetlands can be seasonal dry or wet.
