BMP compliance is low in Tahoe Basin
February 12, 2008
For many Tahoe residents, lake clarity is the most important environmental issue in the basin. Yet, landscaping practices designed to prevent run off and erosion and keep the lake blue are not popular among Tahoe homeowners. More than 80 percent of residential properties in the Tahoe basin have failed to be certified as compliant with BMPs.
Click on the image to watch soundslide on North Lake Tahoe Demonstration Garden.
“Many don’t see the connection between their property and lake clarity, so they don’t think there is a reason to spend money on BMPs,” said Jessica Schwain from the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency. The agency’s BMP database shows that only 8,430 out of nearly 41,000 homes in Tahoe are certified to have sufficient BMPs installed.
According to Schwain, participation in the program is low because the majority of residents are displeased with the cost of BMPs.
TRPA maintains an online database that tracks BMP compliance. Statistics from the database show the economic status of the family can influence the implementation of BMPs. The highest rate of compliance is in Washoe County at almost 53 percent. This includes Incline Village where the average median family income is $79,079. The average price of a house in Incline in 2006 was $1,150,000. The lowest compliance is in El Dorado County, where only 12 percent of residential properties have certified BMP implementation. In South Lake Tahoe, which is in El Dorado County, the average median family income is $46,845, with an average home price of $229,954.
Leonard Carter, from the Tahoe Outdoor Living landscaping company, says that BMPs are pricey and most of the families with lower income cannot afford them.
“Basic BMPs cost a minimum of $2,000, but there are many factors that make the prices go up,” he said. “The bigger the house, the more expensive the BMPs.”
To help residents, the TRPA, North Tahoe Conservation District and Tahoe Resource Conservation District created a Web site, tahoebmp.org, where residents can learn about implementing BMPs on their own so they can save money and yet prevent erosion. The site also provides evaluation and calculation sheets to help residents find out what kinds of BMPs are needed on their property.
See a soundslide about specialists working on Presentation Garden in North Lake Tahoe.
Compliance data by county and economic status
Related posts: [ Affordable housing a growing concern at Tahoe ] [ First meeting of BMPTalks highlights policy challenges ] [ Hispanics attend landscaping class ] [ Community meeting to discuss solutions for BMPs - Live streaming video available ] [ Second BMP Talks meeting adds to solutions ]
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[…] nobody@flickr.com (handsongulfcoast) wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt For many Lake Tahoe residents lake clarity is the most important environmental issue in the basin. Yet, BMPs landscaping practices designed to prevent run off and erosion, and keep the lake blue are not popular among Tahoe homeowners. More than 80 percent of residential properties don
[…] Best Management Practices (BMPs) are methods that homeowners can install on their property to decrease sediment and nutrients from running into Lake Tahoe. By implementing BMPs, property owners can help slow the loss of lake clarity. However, the percentage of people who have installed BMPs on their property is very low, particularly in communities with lower incomes. BMP Compliance Low in the Tahoe Basin […]