Lake Tahoe, CA/NV – The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) partnered with the California State Lands Commission this summer to begin removing illegally placed concrete mooring blocks and attached buoys from the bottom of Lake Tahoe. The removal of three boat anchoring blocks on the lake’s West Shore in August was the first such removal under the 2018 Shoreline Plan that capped the number of piers and boat moorings, according to the agencies.
“This is an important step toward full implementation of a groundbreaking plan that was years in the making,” TRPA General Counsel John Marshall said. “We appreciate the work of our partners and our watercraft team to improve recreation and safety in Lake Tahoe’s iconic shoreline.”
The goals of the Shoreline Plan include protecting the lake from marine engine pollutants and aquatic invasive species, preservation of fish and wildlife habitat, placing limits on development of Lake Tahoe’s shoreline, and improving recreation and public safety. The initial phase of the plan created a mooring permitting and registration program to improve navigational safety and ensure buoy limits and regulations are maintained. Registration fees help support education, enforcement, public access, and scenic improvements on the lake.
“This partnership helps preserve the natural beauty of Lake Tahoe and ensure safe navigation and recreation,” said Jennifer Lucchesi, Executive Officer of the State Lands Commission. “We have a responsibility to the people of California to ensure that buoys on state waters are authorized. These recent removals follow action by the Commission last October and reflect the commitment to continued collaboration to protect and preserve Lake Tahoe’s scenic beauty and safe public access.”
An abandoned illegal mooring buoy bears enforcement notices from TRPA’s watercraft team. The agency’s new registration program makes it possible to identify unauthorized buoys and notify owners of the need to apply for a permit or remove them.
Contractors with Marine Taxonomic Services deploy air-filled lift bags to hoist illegally placed mooring blocks in Hurricane Bay on Lake Tahoe’s West Shore. The concrete blocks are estimated to weigh 1,200 to 1,500 pounds.
In both California and Nevada, the lake bottom is public land, requiring leases or permits for mooring buoys from respective state lands commissions. TRPA contracted divers with Marine Taxonomic Services to remove concrete blocks, chains, and buoys from Hurricane Bay as part of ongoing efforts under the new Shoreline Plan. Recent legal actions by TRPA stopped illegal boat rentals and fined a boater for entering a sensitive marsh.
