Lake Tahoe Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Implementation Progress for Douglas County, Nevada

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Date: Presented at StormCon 2024 in Reno, Nevada on August 28, 2024 Speakers: Karin Peternel & Courtney Walker Credits: 0.75 PDH / Approved for all Envirocert International, Inc. (ECI) Certifications: Approval #PDH-0042Lake Tahoe’s famed deepwater clarity is attributed to its uncommonly clean water, but by the year 2000, about one-third of Lake Tahoe’s unique clarity was lost. The Lake Tahoe Fine Sediment Particle (FSP) TMDL required the seven state or local entities at Lake Tahoe to prepare a Sediment Load Reduction Plan (SLRP). The TRPA developed and implemented the Private Parcel BMP program, and heretofore conducted the required inspections to document compliance with the TMDL. The individual jurisdictions benefited from this load reduction, with the understanding that TRPA would continue to enforce their program. However, the inspection and monitoring of these individual parcel BMPs are being turned over to the individual jurisdictions. In this session, learn how the Douglas County stormwater program staff are facing bandwidth and resource challenges head on with this additional responsibility, including the development of a Stormwater Master Plan.Session duration: 45 minutesAbout the PresentersKarin Peternel is a Senior Scientist III at AtkinsRéalis. She has a BS and MS in Hydrologic Sciences from the University of Nevada Reno. She has been involved in the Lake Tahoe TMDL from its inception through implementation. As a certified floodplain manager, she assists jurisdictions in meeting FEMA regulatory requirements. As a Nevada Water Resources Association Board of Director since 2017, Karin is actively involved in aspects of education, training and networking as it pertains to developing, conserving and protecting water resources.Courtney Walker has been the Douglas County Stormwater Program Manager since February of 2016.Courtney grew up in Douglas County, graduated in 2000 from Douglas High School. She received her Bachelor of Science in Earth and Environmental Science from the University of California, Irvine in 2004. She moved back to the area in 2013 with her husband Tripp and her daughter. She has worked previously with local, state, and regional governmental organizations, such as the Tahoe Resource Conservation District, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and the Carson Water Subconservancy District.