USFS work on Upper Truckee River resuming
Work on restoring the Upper Truckee River will resume June 2. The U.S. Forest Service and California Tahoe Conservancy are working on what’s called Reach 5.
The first stage involves the reinstallation of a temporary bridge. During bridge installation and once the temporary bridge is in place, passage underneath the bridge will not be possible. Boaters will need to remove their vessels from the river and carry them around the bridge, which is located approximately 5,000 feet downstream from the Highway 50 crossing at Elk’s Club.
The next step will be the construction of a temporary access road and the installation of construction and boundary fencing. Then construction of the new channel begins.
Approximately 7,400 feet of new channel will be built in two phases, over four years that began in 2013.
The project will replace the existing stream channel with a new channel that is designed to be more stable. It is connected to the adjacent floodplain, which is expected to provide a better aquatic habitat, support a healthier meadow ecosystem, and reduce the amount of fine sediment that reaches Lake Tahoe.
For safety reasons, the area will be closed from June 15-Oct. 15. The closure area and more info is online.