Volunteers clear more than 40 Lake Tahoe storm drains
The League to Save Lake Tahoe hosted a Stewards of Stormwater event Thursday, Aug. 7 in Incline Village in partnership with Tahoe Family Solutions’ Camp Explore program, IVGID, the Nevada Tahoe Conservation District, and Washoe County, Nevada.
More than 50 kids from Tahoe Family Solutions along with other volunteers helped place 41 metal markers on storm drains that lead to Lake Tahoe and picked up 40 pounds of litter on the streets.
This community volunteer project educates and engages the public about protecting our waterways from illegal dumping of wastes into the Lake Tahoe watershed. Marking community storm drains with “Keep Tahoe Blue – No Dumping” markers helps to keep pollutants out of Lake Tahoe’s environment. The communities around Lake Tahoe have outdated storm drain systems that discharge directly into the Lake or its tributaries. Washing automobiles and dumping household wastes into the storm drain system can have substantial impacts to water quality and public health.
“Roughly 43 pipes enter directly into in Lake Tahoe, carrying untreated stormwater, sediment and other pollutants in runoff from our local communities,” said Marilee Movius, community engagement manager of the League. “One of the easiest and most effective ways to be proactive about keeping Tahoe blue is to not dump anything into storm drains. The Stewards of Stormwater program is a great way to mobilize communities, and we are grateful for our collaboration with Incline Village organizations to help do this important work.”
“We are very excited for the Camp Explore kids to work with the League to Save Lake Tahoe,” said Sharon Silva, Director of Camp Explore. “It fits perfectly with our mission of educating kids about stewardship of the outdoors. It will also allow the kids to become experts on a component of keeping Tahoe blue and to then share that information with their families and neighbors.”
The organizations met at the D.W. Reynolds Community Non-Profit Center from 1:30 pm-3:30pm on Thursday, Aug 7and marked storm drains in the immediate area. Volunteers and team leaders installed 41 storm drain markers, swept debris away from storm drains, picked up 40 lbs. trash, and chalked “SOS” and “no dumping” around the storm drains. Volunteers also learned about waterbasins, how stormwater runoff impacts lake clarity, how to properly dispose of chemicals and the importance of no dumping.
The League to Save Lake Tahoe, also known by the slogan “Keep Tahoe Blue,” is Tahoe's oldest and largest nonprofit environmental advocacy organization. The League is dedicated to community engagement and education, and collaborating to find solutions to Tahoe's environmental challenges. The League's main campaigns include combatting pollution, tackling invasive species, promoting restoration and protecting Tahoe's shore
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