Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit of US Forest service has advised caution in areas around Kiva and Baldwin beaches while noxious weed abatement protocols are in place.

Underwater mats are held in place by a rebar structure to smother the new growth and kill unwanted invasive weed species. 

“We recommend that people and pets stay out of the water in the project area and away from the mats and rebar stakes,” LTBM said in a social media post. 

According to the U.S Forest Service “Noxious weeds are non-native, invasive plants that out-compete native vegetation. They are a threat to biodiversity and local plant communities,”

A problem area has been identified by the Forest Service which in turn activated protocols to reduce the weed populations. In some cases the weeds are removed by hand and monitored throughout the field season to ensure effectiveness of treatments. 

“In addition to removal and monitoring, the Forest Service also takes measures to prevent the spread of invasives. These measures include using weed-free materials for restoration projects and requiring crews and equipment to be weed-free before entering the forest,” their website says.