South Lake Tahoe – February 28, 2022 – the Tahoe Keys Property Owners Association today announced the closure of boating activities in the Tahoe Keys West Lagoon and Tallac areas of the keys. This Emergency rule will include all water activities including Pets, Kayaks, swimming etc. Study area a, B c can be found in the document below with full descriptions of closure areas.
This closure does not effect the Tahoe Keys Marina area.
The Tahoe Keys Mission: As aquatic invasive species (AIS) have become an urgent issue in the Keys lagoons, it is also a Lake Tahoe-wide threat to water quality, the environment and the economy. The Tahoe Keys Property Owners Association (TKPOA) has been actively managing invasive plants for decades through an integrative, science-based approach with the goal of gaining control over the infestation and greatly reducing their spread. TKPOA is currently collaborating on the development of an environmental document (EIS/EIR) to find solutions to address the aquatic invasive plant issue.
The Tahoe Keys have 172 acres of waterways with 1,529 homes and townhouses along with commercial businesses. The waterways include the Lake Tallac Lagoon (a storm water collection basin for South Lake Tahoe), the West Lagoon, and the East Lagoon. Both the West and East lagoons have direct connections to Lake Tahoe via the West and East channels. There are now 3 macrophyte species causing problems for boaters of the keys. These species are Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum), curlyleaf pondweed (Potamogeton crispus), and the native coontail (Ceratophyllum demursum). The species thrive during the summer when growing conditions are ideal. Every winter aquatic macrophytes die off and deposit a layer of detritus that decomposers break down into nutrients that fuel plant growth the following year. This excessive plant growth is a major cause for poor water quality in the Tahoe Keys lagoons. The TKPOA has been attempting to find a solution to this problem for decades.