UV Light Pilot Project

Partners: Tahoe Resource Conservation District, Inventive Resources Inc., California Tahoe Conservancy

Total Project Cost: $270,000
Tahoe Fund Grant: $10,000

In an effort to spur innovation in Tahoe, the Tahoe Fund provided the initial funds for a project that will evaluate UV light as a new method to remove aquatic invasive weeds.  This innovative approach was used in a pilot program at Lakeside Marina & Beach in 2017 and could change the way aquatic invasive weeds are controlled in Tahoe’s watershed and beyond if successful.  Monitoring of the technology will take place throughout 2018.

Aquatic invasive weeds are a serious threat to the crystal clear waters of Lake Tahoe. Aquatic invaders such as Eurasian watermilfoil and curly-leaf pondweed have already established in the Lake. These non-native species change the natural make-up of the waters and threaten to significantly reduce the recreational use of the Lake and surrounding rivers.

A $5,000 grant to the Tahoe Resource Conservation District from the Tahoe Fund’s Environmental Venture Trust helped secure $260,000 in public funding from the California Tahoe Conservancy to get the project started this year. An additional $5,000 grant will provide underwater cameras to monitor the effectiveness of the UV light.