With the detection of quagga mussels in California and Nevada and a heightened awareness of aquatic invasive species (AIS) among federal, state, and local partners at Lake Tahoe, the Fish and Wildlife Service was requested to fill a critical role and establish a full time AIS coordinator position for Lake Tahoe and Nevada. The position, established in 2008, co-leads and coordinates the Lake Tahoe’s AIS program with the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency

The Service chairs the Lake Tahoe AIS Coordination Committee (LTAISCC) comprised of representatives from local, state and federal agencies, which has developed a Lake Tahoe Regional AIS Management Plan (Plan) addressing early detection, control and eradication, rapid response, and prevention of AIS within the Basin. The Plan has been accepted by the Governor’s of California and Nevada, adopted as a Bi-State Plan, and approved by the national Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force.

Addressing the threat of AIS is a top priority among partners in the Tahoe Basin and ranked as one of the highest priorities for funding through the Southern Nevada Land Management Act (SNPLMA) by the Lake Tahoe Federal Advisory Committee and the Tahoe SNPLMA working group. Since 2008, the Service has received over $5 million though SNPLMA to implement the AIS program within the Lake Tahoe Basin. Funding has been used to implement a prevention program which includes the establishment of mandatory boat inspection and decontamination stations; control and eradication of existing AIS species including an Asian clam pilot eradication project; and the development of an early detection and rapid response program.