Work began this week on the final phase of the Upper Truckee River Reach 5 restoration project.

The U.S. Forest Service in collaboration with the California Tahoe Conservancy are diverting the river around the construction area to protect water quality and allow construction of the new channel to be completed.

Boaters will be prohibited from entering the construction area upstream from the project. Signs will be posted at the Elks Club Drive boat launch location notifying boaters of the closure and a barrier will be strung across the river upstream from the temporary bridge to prevent boaters from going downstream.

Fishing will also be prohibited in the construction area during water diversions. Fish will be relocated from within the project area into the Upper Truckee River both up and downstream from the construction. The closure will remain in place until Oct. 14.

This is the final year of the four-year construction project to replace the existing stream channel with a new channel that is more stable and is connected to the adjacent floodplain, which will ideally provide better aquatic habitat, support a healthier meadow ecosystem, and reduce the amount of fine sediment that reaches Lake Tahoe.