The Nevada Division of Natural Heritage (NDNH) has completed its 2025 annual survey of the Tahoe yellow cress, a rare plant species found only along the sandy shores of Lake Tahoe. The survey was conducted in collaboration with state, federal, tribal, and local agencies.
The results of the 2025 survey indicate the ongoing need for conservation efforts to protect the species, which continues to face threats from shoreline disturbance and habitat loss.
Tahoe yellow cress is a small plant in the mustard family. It grows exclusively on the sandy shoreline of Lake Tahoe and at the mouths of streams entering the lake. Due to its limited range and sensitivity to disturbance, it has been a focus of conservation efforts.
The 2025 survey, led by the Tahoe Yellow Cress Adaptive Management Working Group, counted about 5,575 individual plants across 19 beaches in Nevada and California. NDNH participates in this group and manages much of the Nevada shoreline. The agency also maintains a shared online database that allows all partners to quickly collect and review survey data each year.
“This plant is unique to Lake Tahoe—it doesn’t grow anywhere else in the world,” said NDNH biologist Patrick Silbey. “Annual surveys give us critical information about where the species is persisting, where it is struggling, and how conservation actions can best be directed to maintain Tahoe yellow cress as part of the lake’s ecosystem.”
In the late 1990s, Tahoe yellow cress nearly disappeared from Nevada’s beaches and survived at only a few sites in California. The plant was listed as endangered in California, critically endangered in Nevada, and was considered for federal listing under the Endangered Species Act in 1999.
The Tahoe Yellow Cress Conservation Strategy, adopted in 2002, brought together agencies, conservation groups, and private landowners to address threats and implement protective actions such as habitat fencing, community outreach, and scientific monitoring. Efforts by private lakefront property owners have also contributed to the plant’s recovery.
“I’ve spoken with homeowners and associations about protecting Tahoe yellow cress. One HOA with 900 members has fenced off the plants, and the children in their community have even signed up as stewards — it’s a great example of how community partnerships are helping ensure Tahoe yellow cress continues to thrive now and for generations to come,” said Jan Brisco, Executive Director of the Tahoe Lakefront Owners’ Association.
In 2015, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service removed Tahoe yellow cress from its list of candidate species for federal protection because of the success of collaborative conservation work.
“The story of Tahoe yellow cress is one of collaboration,” said USDA Forest Service Botanist, Emma Williams. “The progress we’ve made reflects the importance of this work—and shows how working together can achieve lasting protection for a fragile species and the ecosystem it depends on.”
Conservation partners emphasize that continued monitoring is necessary. High water levels, shoreline development, and recreational use still threaten the plant’s limited habitat. The public is encouraged to help protect Tahoe yellow cress by respecting enclosures, avoiding vegetated areas near streams, keeping pets controlled, and launching watercraft away from sensitive sites. NDNH welcomes reports of sightings of Tahoe yellow cress and other rare species through their Survey123 form at https://heritage.nv.gov/data_and_resources/submit-data or their iNaturalist project at https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/nevada-rare-species-tracking-list-ndnh.
The annual survey continues to be an important part of conservation efforts by providing data to monitor the health of Tahoe yellow cress populations and guide management decisions as environmental conditions change.
For more information about Tahoe yellow cress and other rare plants in Nevada, visit the Nevada Division of Natural Heritage website at heritage.nv.gov.