Indicator
Reduce Total Annual Phosphorus Load
Basics
Reduce Total Annual Phosphorus Load
Reduce Total Annual Phosphorus Load
Outcome
Program
Pounds Per Year (lb/yr)
WQ35: Reduce total annual phosphorus load to achieve long-term pelagic water quality standards (WQ1 and WQ2) and littoral quality standards (WQ5 and WQ6).
This Indicator is reported in the following LT Info areas:
Status

Phosphorus load reduction with the target shown in 2019 in light blue.

No Subcategories for this Indicator.

Program Lake Tahoe Interagency Monitoring Program Stream Monitoring

Approach

The Lake Tahoe Interagency Monitoring Program (LTIMP) stream monitoring program was first developed in 1979 to assess sediment and nutrient input from tributaries to Lake Tahoe, and to support research that aims to understand the drivers affecting the transparency of Lake Tahoe. The tributary monitoring focuses on both event-based conditions (large runoff events associated with rainfall and snowmelt) and baseline conditions (low inflow during summer when precipitation is negligible). Up to 10 streams have been monitored since the early 1990s; five in California (Upper Truckee River, and Trout, General, Blackwood and Ward Creeks) and five in Nevada (Third, Incline, Glenbrook, Logan House, and Edgewood Creeks). Six of these streams have been monitored since water years 1980 or 1981. In water year 2012 the number of streams routinely monitored was reduced to seven (see map above), and all streams have primary monitoring stations at or near the point of discharge to Lake Tahoe. Sampling pr

Partners

Program Regional Stormwater Monitoring

Approach

Monitoring is guided by the RSWMP Framework and Implementation Guidance document. During water year 2014 five catchments were monitored for continuous flow and turbidity and sampled for water quality at eleven monitoring stations: the outfalls of the five selected catchments, and the inflows to and outflows from selected BMPs located in three of those catchments. Three additional catchment outfalls were monitored in water year 2015. The catchments were chosen because of their direct hydrologic connectivity to Lake Tahoe, diversity of urban land uses, range of sizes, and a reasonably equitable distribution among the participating jurisdictions. BMP effectiveness sites were selected because of their potential efficacy in treating storm water runoff characteristic of the Lake Tahoe Basin, and the broad interest in, and lack of conclusive data regarding the efficiency of the selected BMPs in reducing runoff volumes and pollutant loads.

Partners

Associated Programs data not provided.