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- Where is Johnson Meadow?
Johnson Meadow is situated in the heart of the city of South Lake Tahoe, El Dorado County, California. It is located within the Upper Truckee River watershed, the largest watershed in the Lake Tahoe Basin, draining over 56 square miles and providing some of the most significant wet meadow floodplain habitat in the entire Sierra Nevada. Tahoe RCD recently acquired title to approximately 206 acres comprising the Johnson Meadow property in order to provide continuous public ownership of the lower nine miles of the Upper Truckee River (UTR) before the river enters Lake Tahoe. This nine-mile reach of the UTR is centered downstream of property owned by the City of South Lake Tahoe and California Department of Parks and Recreation (Washoe Meadows State Park) and upstream of the Upper Truckee Marsh, owned by the California Tahoe Conservancy. Johnson Meadow is situated in the floodplain of the UTR and was the largest privately-owned meadow in the Tahoe Basin.
- Why did Tahoe RCD purchase Johnson Meadow?
Johnson Meadow was used as a dairy to produce cream and milk following the Gold Rush (1850s) and was purchased in the 1920s by the Mosher family. The dairy equipment was moved out of the meadow in the 1930s and the dairy operations ceased. From the 1930s, the meadow was used for summer cattle grazing. Acquisition of Johnson Meadow is a critical step in restoring the UTR watershed, and this river reach contains significant wildlife habitat, including river, riparian, meadow, and upland habitat areas. Acquisition was made possible through funding from California Tahoe Conservancy, California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Tahoe Fund. The purpose of this land purchase is to provide ecosystem and watershed protection benefits through preservation, management, and future restoration of meadow, riparian, aquatic and upland habitats in Johnson Meadow.
The Tahoe RCD plays a critical role in addressing the most important natural resource concerns and opportunities in the basin, from preventing and eradicating aquatic invasive species from the lake, to helping communities mitigate the risk of fire. The mission of the Tahoe RCD is to promote the conservation, stewardship and knowledge of the Lake Tahoe Region’s natural resources by providing leadership and innovative environmental services to all stakeholders. The Tahoe RCD is a flexible and adaptable organization that can serve as a link between public and private interests related to this property. Additionally, the Tahoe RCD has extensive experience in natural resource management and will ensure that this unique property with sensitive habitat is properly restored and managed for generations to enjoy.
- What are Tahoe RCD's plans for Johnson Meadow?
The purpose of this land purchase is to provide ecosystem and watershed protection benefits through preservation, management, and future restoration of meadow, riparian, aquatic and upland habitats in Johnson Meadow. In addition, Johnson Meadow will provide connectivity to other public lands and provide access for compatible public uses that are consistent with wildlife habitat preservation and protection of sensitive biological resources.
Tahoe RCD is committed to working with a variety of stakeholders in the restoration planning process to ensure that future plans address social and ecological topics such as community outreach and stewardship, riparian habitat restoration, wildlife conservation, water quality improvement, public access, and reducing environmental hazards. Restoration of the river and associated habitats will focus on restoring natural hydrologic processes throughout the meadow and coordinating these projects with the work being conducted on adjacent river reaches of the UTR.
- How do meadows in an urban setting help to protect the Lake Tahoe Basin's environment?
Lake Tahoe watersheds are the natural drainage systems that supply the Lake with water. The precipitation that falls within the watersheds of the Lake Tahoe Basin (both rain and snow) flows overland and through the ground to creeks and streams which ultimately discharge to the Lake. Runoff that is conveyed by an undisturbed watershed is usually quite pure, because the watershed’s soil, plants, and organisms act as a natural water purification system. In fact, in an undisturbed forest, more than ninety-five percent of rain and snowmelt percolates into the ground, where it is filtered on its way to the nearest stream.
Acquisition of undeveloped, environmentally sensitive land (meadows, creeks and streams, highly erosive soils, and steep topography) ensures that they are protected from future development and helps to mitigate the negative impacts of development on Lake Tahoe’s watersheds. These undeveloped lands reduce the amount of future impervious surfaces within Lake Tahoe’s watersheds and can therefore continue to provide the natural hydrologic function of undeveloped riparian and forested areas. In addition, these areas can slow the flow of water from adjoining impervious surfaces and provide opportunities for construction of critical erosion control structures.
- How does the acquisition and protection of Johnson Meadow benefit my community and me?
In 1980, Congress found that increasing urbanization was threatening the ecological values of the Lake Tahoe Basin and public opportunities for use of public lands. Additionally, maintenance of the social and economic health of the region depended on maintaining the scenic, recreational, educational, scientific, natural, and public health values provided by the Lake Tahoe Basin. Acquisition and protection of undeveloped land contributes to maintaining these values, creating benefits to the communities in which they are located.
Undeveloped areas provide open space within urban settings, reducing and filtering the noise associated with everyday human activities, providing quieter, more enjoyable living conditions and recreational experiences. Additionally, these areas reduce the scenic and visual impacts of urbanization by providing riparian and forested areas that help screen and blend development into the natural surroundings. Neighborhoods with publicly owned land are more desirable to live in, and often have a corresponding positive impact on property values.
- Why must encroachments be resolved?
The effects of encroachments on this former ranch property are detrimental both publicly and environmentally. Public access is compromised anytime public lands are modified to resemble private property, through landscaping, lawns, fenced areas, storage of personal property, structures or parking. In addition, encroachments often damage soils and vegetation, leading to the degradation of the hydrologic functions these lands are intended to preserve. In some cases, encroachments interfere with planned hazardous fuels or hazard tree abatement projects or restoration efforts and must be resolved prior to management. Essentially, this is now public land and needs to remain accessible to the public.
- How are encroachments resolved?
When an encroachment onto Johnson Meadow has been identified, the Tahoe RCD informs the responsible property owner and requests removal of the encroachment and termination of the prohibited activity. In most cases encroachments are resolved through an administrative process involving written notification and on-site meetings with Tahoe RCD staff. Some situations may warrant legal action if compliance does not occur by a specified date issued, or if significant damage to public lands has occurred. It is the responsibility of property owners to know their property boundary location and ensure their property does not extend beyond that line..
Our priorities for Johnson Meadow
The board and staff of the Tahoe RCD are committed to restoring, stewarding, and managing the iconic Johnson Meadow property in ways that:
- Provide ecosystem and watershed protection benefits through preservation, management, and future restoration of meadow, riparian, aquatic, and upland habitats, connectivity to other public lands, and for compatible public uses that are consistent with wildlife habitat preservation and protection of sensitive biological resources.
- Align with the Tahoe RCD’s mission, goals, and restoration priorities.
- Align with other plans that benefit the overall Upper Truckee watershed.
- Recognize and incorporate the community’s desired outcomes.
- Provide appropriate opportunities for learning and connectivity for the surrounding community.
- Encourage the community to take pride in and steward this special place.
- Prioritize education over regulation.
- Are flexible and adaptive, allowing for continuous learning and innovation.
View our full Johnson Meadow Planning Approach developed along with our strategic planning process in March 2018.
