The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit — in partnership with Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board and Tahoe Regional Planning Agency — is seeking comments on the Environmental Assessment (EA), Initial Study (IS) and Initial Environmental Checklist (IEC) for the Taylor and Tallac Restoration Project. The proposed project would restore Taylor and Tallac creeks’ ecosystems, and maintain and improve visitor services. The project area is located on Highway 89 on the South Shore of Lake Tahoe. The area provides habitat for numerous protected wildlife species and is an important hydrological connection to Lake Tahoe.

Taylor and Tallac channels were historically connected through a series of four swales, which formed a large wetland complex. The Forest Service proposes to restore this connection by removing culverts that are impeding water flow, replacing them with crossing structures, and recontouring and revegetating swales. The project would include stream restoration in Taylor and Tallac creeks, renovating the fish ladder at the Fallen Leaf Lake Dam, and removing portions of the Lucky Baldwin Dam to restore connectivity to Fallen Leaf Lake. The project proposes to improve wildlife habitat by eradicating or controlling aquatic invasive species, protecting Tahoe yellow cress through physical barriers, installing nest and perch structures for waterfowl and sensitive raptors, and installing bat boxes.

At Baldwin Beach, the Forest Service proposes to construct a multi-use path from Highway 89 to the east and west parking lots, construct pedestrian pathways, formalize and upgrade the picnic area, provide foot-washing stations at restrooms and install best management practices throughout the site. Restoration efforts at Taylor Creek Visitor Center would include upgrading the stream profile chamber to meet contemporary building codes and reconfiguring the Rainbow Trail to reduce impacts to the stream environment zone, such as raising sections of trail or replacing them with boardwalks.

Comments will be accepted for 30 calendar days following Friday, June 17.

The EA, IS, and IEC and supporting documents are available for review at http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/ltbmu/taylortallac.

For more information on the proposed project and how to comment, contact Sarah Muskopf at 530-543-2835 or Stephanie Coppeto at 530-543-2679.