Tahoe RCD conducts special research projects on urban stormwater to advance the scientific understanding of factors affecting stormwater quality and how it can be better managed and treated before entering Lake Tahoe. To date, these studies include an ongoing efficacy study on two side-by-side stormwater treatment vaults on State Route 431, an ongoing study to assess the impact of road surface deterioration on stormwater quality on Elks Club Drive in South Lake Tahoe, an analysis of projected climate change impacts on the ability of stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) to continue to reduce pollutant loads, and assistance with a project to assess microplastics in stormwater runoff conducted by the Desert Research Institute.