REGIONAL: Tahoe goes high tech to fight aquatic invasive weeds; UV light pilot project now under way

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INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. – The Tahoe Fund announced the start of an innovative pilot project to test the use of UV light to fight aquatic invasive weeds in Lake Tahoe.

The UV light boat has been deployed in South Lake Tahoe, on the California side, and has begun analyzing the effects of deep penetrating UV light on aquatic invasive weeds in Lakeside Marina and open water settings through 2018.

Within the first week of use, half of the weeds in the marina have already been destroyed.

The UV Light Pilot Project is a partnership among Tahoe Resource Conservation District, Inventive Resources Inc., The California Tahoe Conservancy and Tahoe Fund.

Research shows that ultraviolet-C (UVC) light could be an effective method to eliminate aquatic invasive plants. If proven successful, the light can be deployed in infested areas of Lake Tahoe and other clear water lakes around the world.

“It’s exciting to see that after just a week, the half of the marina treated with the UV light is already weed free. With more testing, we hope this could be a viable long-term tool,” said Amy Berry, Tahoe Fund CEO. “By providing early-stage funding through our Environmental Venture Trust, we were able to help secure more than $260,000 in public funds to jumpstart this project. This is just the first of many venture stage environmental improvement projects around the Lake that Tahoe Fund can help kick-start.”

“From our efforts in Emerald Bay, we know that invasive plant populations can be reduced, and with continued treatments and new tools, we can control weed populations around the lake,” said Nicole Cartwright, aquatic invasive species program manager for the Tahoe Resource Conservation District.

"We are excited to bring this technology to a new forefront,” said John Paoluccio, president of Inventive Resources Inc. “We anticipate it will be a successful tool to control aquatic invasive plants in Tahoe and other waterways."

The mission of the Tahoe Fund is to restore and enhance the extraordinary natural environment of the Lake Tahoe Basin by building broad support and funding for projects and programs that increase the enjoyment of the region for current and future generations.

Since its founding in 2010, the Tahoe Fund has helped complete more than 25 projects, including watershed restorations, new biking and hiking paths, removal of aquatic invasive species and stewardship programs.

The Tahoe Fund Environmental Venture Trust is a new approach to philanthropy in Tahoe. Like a traditional venture capital fund, the Tahoe Fund Environmental Venture Trust is intended to provide seed funding for a variety of early-stage, innovative projects that will help solve some of the major environmental challenges facing Lake Tahoe. The returns will be entirely philanthropic.

Before and after views of an area in Lake Tahoe treated by a UV light boat. Photo courtesy of The Tahoe Fund.