Climate Resilience Dashboard
EIP Project Tracker
Lake Clarity Tracker
Monitoring Dashboard
Parcel Tracker
Threshold Dashboard
Transportation Tracker
Overview
Basics
Basics
The Tahoe Science Consortium (TSC) is a unique partnership between three academic institutions and two federal agencies: Desert Research Institute, University of California-Davis, University of Nevada-Reno, USDA Forest Service-Pacific Southwest Research Station, and the U.S. Geological Survey.
The Consortium promotes integration among the many current and future scientific projects in the basin, prioritizing future research informed by a comprehensive science plan, creating an environment that promotes the contributions of the best available science, and emphasizing close cooperation with land and resource managers to facilitate the transfer of information in an effective manner.
Completed
2007
2007
2016
$2,125,610
Pat Manley (pmanley@fs.fed.us)
10/03/2017
10/03/2017
|
To zoom, hold down the Shift key and drag a rectangle.
|
|
| Location Information | Location Notes |
|---|---|
Organizations
EIP Details
EIP Basics
EIP Basics
04.01.01.0070 - P016: Tahoe Science Consortium (TSC)
Performance Measures
Expected Performance Measures
Expected Performance Measures
No expected performance measures set for this project.
Reported Performance Measures
Reported Performance Measures
No annual performance measure accomplishments entered for this project.
Funding
Expected Funding
Expected Funding
$2,125,610
$2,125,610
$0
| Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown or Unassigned | $2,125,610 | $2,125,610 | $0 |
| Grand Total | $2,125,610 | $2,125,610 | $0 |
Reported Expenditures
Reported Expenditures
| Total | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act (Pacifi... | $2,125,610 | $212,561 | $212,561 | $212,561 | $212,561 | $212,561 | $212,561 | $212,561 | $212,561 | $212,561 | $212,561 |
| Grand Total | $2,125,610 | $212,561 | $212,561 | $212,561 | $212,561 | $212,561 | $212,561 | $212,561 | $212,561 | $212,561 | $212,561 |
Photos
Other Details
Watersheds
No watersheds set for this project.
Threshold Categories
-
The TSC is dedicated to providing science to restore Lake Tahoe and its fragile watershed, manage its wildland-urban interface, and anticipate the impacts of climate change.
Local and Regional Plans
No Local and Regional Plans set for this project.
Related Projects
Related Projects
No Related Projects set for this project.
External Links
No external links entered.
Notes
Notes
| 08/11/2017 9:47 AM | System | Match Funding: 350,000 |
||
| 08/09/2017 6:33 AM | System | Round 12: Peer Review: 1. This work plan provides funding necessary to allow the TSC to continue coordinating essential independent peer review services of science activities in the Lake Tahoe basin. The TSC will facilitate peer reviews of technical reports and programs for agencies in the basin. The TSC will work with agencies to scope special initiative reviews or project reviews; however, this work plan does not include funding to conduct these reviews. The TSC will remain receptive to administering additional reviews if supplementary external funds are provided. 2. The TSC will review the SNPLMA science program, summarize key findings, assess the role of the SNPLMA research program in effecting science-based management decisions, and identify gaps and unanswered questions that require additional research. The findings of this review will be published as the “Lake Tahoe Science Program Accomplishments Report”. Technical Assistance: In addition to day-to-day interaction agencies with the management agencies and research community, the TSC will organize workshops or roundtable discussions of technical issues associated with challenging management issues facing the Lake Tahoe Basin. The exact topics of these workshops will be determined in consultation with resource management agency representatives, example topics include aquatic invasive species prevention and response, discussion of the impacts of climate change on ecosystem services in the basin and surrounding region, and evaluations of the economic benefits of the Lake Tahoe TMDL. These workshops will focus on clarifying the state of knowledge, resolving conflicts in understanding, and reducing uncertainty. The workshops will typically last one day and may include presenters from inside and outside the Lake Tahoe basin. Written summaries of information and outcomes from each technical workshop will be posted on the TSC web page. The Tahoe Science Conference will provide a forum for researchers and managers to discuss scientific research and evaluate the impacts of the science program on environmental management. A Conference Report will be produced that summarizes the conference proceedings and outcomes. Program Management: Program management includes ongoing communication of TSC activities. These activities include convening regular meetings of the COS and TSC staff; meeting with the Executive Committee, supporting TSC participation in various agency committees (e.g., TREX, TIE, and LTFAC); and the preparation and distribution of TSC information materials via presentations, the TSC website, or written materials. Knowledge transfer from the TSC to other agencies and the public also will be accomplished through the TSC website. This website is an important tool for information dissemination to make people aware of TSC activities and other science activities occurring throughout the Lake Tahoe Basin. The website will include information on research programs currently being performed in the basin, summaries of current and past studies, and links to information about agency, research institutions, and individual researcher activities. The TSC will provide quarterly reports of its progress on the tasks described in this work plan. The schedule for submission of these reports will be set by the PSW. Specifically, these reports will summarize activities and accomplishments on the development of regional monitoring plans for the Lake Tahoe basin, implementation of the peer review process, and scientific consultation and information transfer. |
||
| 08/09/2017 6:25 AM | System | Round 11: Peer Review: A significant function of the Tahoe Science Consortium (TSC) is to coordinate the service of independent and unbiased scientific review of science activities or scientific results produced through any of the levels listed above. This peer review is intended to ensure that science activities conducted in the basin, and funded by agencies charged with the management and restoration of the Lake Tahoe basin, are sound, consistent with the basin’s science plan, compatible with previous research activities, and in compliance with the federal Data Quality Act (Section 515 of Public Law 106-554). Technical Assistance: In addition to day-to-day interaction agencies with the management agencies and research community, the TSC will organize workshops or roundtable discussions of technical issues associated with challenging management issues facing the Lake Tahoe Basin. The exact topics of these workshops will be determined in consultation with resource management agency representatives, example topics include aquatic invasive species prevention and response, discussion of the impacts of climate change on ecosystem services in the basin and surrounding region, and evaluations of the economic benefits of the Lake Tahoe TMDL. These workshops will focus on clarifying the state of knowledge, resolving conflicts in understanding, and reducing uncertainty. The workshops will typically last one day and may include presenters from inside and outside the Lake Tahoe basin. Written summaries of information and outcomes from each technical workshop will be posted on the TSC web page. Program Management: Program management includes ongoing communication of TSC activities. These activities include convening regular meetings of the COS and TSC staff; meeting with the Executive Committee, supporting TSC participation in various agency committees (e.g., TREX, TIE, and LTFAC); and the preparation and distribution of TSC information materials via presentations, the TSC website, or written materials. Knowledge transfer from the TSC to other agencies and the public also will be accomplished through the TSC website. This website is an important tool for information dissemination to make people aware of TSC activities and other science activities occurring throughout the Lake Tahoe Basin. The website will include information on research programs currently being performed in the basin, summaries of current and past studies, and links to information about agency, research institutions, and individual researcher activities. The TSC will provide quarterly reports of its progress on the tasks described in this work plan. The schedule for submission of these reports will be set by the PSW. Specifically, these reports will summarize activities and accomplishments on the development of regional monitoring plans for the Lake Tahoe basin, implementation of the peer review process, and scientific consultation and information transfer. |
||
| 08/07/2017 6:45 AM | System | Round 10: Peer Review: This work plan provides funding necessary to allow the TSC to continue providing essential independent peer review services of science activities in the Lake Tahoe basin. Sufficient funding is requested to support TSC-led peer review of the science proposals received in response to the SNPLMA Lake Tahoe science program request for proposal. The TSC will also work with agencies to scope special initiative reviews or project reviews; however, this work plan does not include funding to complete these reviews. The TSC will remain receptive to administering additional reviews if supplementary external funds are provided. The peer review process document developed by the TSC2 will guide the TSC’s peer review activities funded under this work plan. Generally, the work activities and products for this work plan will follow the steps listed below: 1. Work with the sponsoring agency(s) to develop the scope and timeline for the review of SNPLMA science proposals received through a specific RFP. 2. Assemble independent reviewers and administer the review process. 3. Complete a relevancy check with agency representatives. 4. Compile and synthesize reviewer’s comments and present results to the sponsoring agency or other entity as appropriate in the form of a prioritized list of project proposals recommended for funding. Technical Assistance: Knowledge transfer from the TSC to other agencies and the public also will be accomplished through the TSC website. This website is an important tool for information dissemination to make people aware of TSC activities and other science activities occurring throughout the Lake Tahoe Basin. The website will include information on research programs currently being performed in the basin, summaries of current and past studies, and links to information about agency, research institutions, and individual researcher activities. The TSC proposes to organize one or more workshops to discuss technical issues associated with some of the more challenging management issues facing the Lake Tahoe Basin. The exact topics of these workshops will be determined in consultation with resource management agency representatives, but example topics include, methods for accomplishing forest fuel reduction in stream environment zones, review and summary of models developed to estimate storm water pollution loads, or identifying information needs to develop quantitative water quality standards for the near shore zone of Lake Tahoe. These workshops will focus on clarifying the state of knowledge, resolving conflicts in understanding, and reducing uncertainty. The workshops will typically last one day and may include presenters from inside and outside the Lake Tahoe basin. Written summaries of information and outcomes from each technical workshop will be posted on the TSC web page. Peer Review: A significant function of the Tahoe Science Consortium (TSC) is to coordinate the service of independent and unbiased scientific review of science activities or scientific results produced through any of the levels listed above. This peer review is intended to ensure that science activities conducted in the basin, and funded by agencies charged with the management and restoration of the Lake Tahoe basin, are sound, consistent with the basin’s science plan, compatible with previous research activities, and in compliance with the federal Data Quality Act (Section 515 of Public Law 106-554). Program Management: Knowledge transfer from the TSC to other agencies and the public also will be accomplished through the TSC website. This website is an important tool for information dissemination to make people aware of TSC activities and other science activities occurring throughout the Lake Tahoe Basin. The website will include information on research programs currently being performed in the basin, summaries of current and past studies, and links to information about agency, research institutions, and individual researcher activities. The TSC will provide quarterly reports of its progress on the tasks described in this work plan. The schedule for submission of these reports will be set by the PSW. Specifically, these reports will summarize activities and accomplishments on the development of regional monitoring plans for the Lake Tahoe basin, implementation of the peer review process, and scientific consultation and information transfer. |
||
| 08/07/2017 6:42 AM | System | Round 9: Peer Review: This work plan provides funding necessary to allow the TSC to continue providing essential independent peer review services of science activities in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Sufficient funding is requested to support TSC-led peer review of the science proposals received in response to the SNPLMA Lake Tahoe science program request for proposal. The TSC will also work with agencies to scope special initiative reviews or project reviews; however, this work plan does not include funding to complete these reviews. The TSC will remain receptive to administering additional reviews if supplementary external funds are provided. Technical Assistance: The TSC proposes to organize one or more workshops to discuss technical issues associated with some of the more challenging management issues facing the Lake Tahoe Basin. The exact topics of these workshops will be determined in consultation with resource management agency representatives, but example topics include, methods for accomplishing forest fuel reduction in stream 10 environment zones, review and summary of models developed to estimate storm water pollution loads, or identifying information needs to develop quantitative water quality standards for the near shore zone of Lake Tahoe. These workshops will focus on clarifying the state of knowledge, resolving conflicts in understanding, and reducing uncertainty. The workshops will typically last one day and may include presenters from inside and outside the Lake Tahoe Basin. Written summaries of information and outcomes from each technical workshop will be posted on the TSC web page. Program Management: We propose to pursue the development of a strategic plan for the TSC as part of this work plan. Development of the strategic plan will rely in part on input from agency representatives and stakeholders to determine the impact of TSC activities and to identify future program goals. The strategic plan will also propose indicators to evaluate the effectiveness of the TSC in supporting the delivery of useful and integrated science to promote restoration in the Tahoe Basin. The TSC will provide quarterly reports of its progress on the tasks described in this work plan. The schedule for submission of these reports will be set by the PSW. Specifically, these reports will summarize activities and accomplishments on the development of regional monitoring plans for the Lake Tahoe Basin, implementation of the peer review process, and scientific consultation and information transfer. Some of the funding ($20,404) allocated to the program management task will be used to establish a new position at UNR. Dr. Maureen McCarthy will serve in this position as the new Executive Director of the TSC, beginning February 1, 2011. Funding both the current and new Executive Director will support training and transition time. |
||
| 08/07/2017 6:36 AM | System | Round 8: Focused Science Synthesis and Review: Based on feedback from a large number of groups in the Tahoe basin, agency technical staff, as well as agency board members, executives and technical staff, as well as elected officials, non-technical stakeholders and even the scientific community would all benefit from a summary of the current research and monitoring results related to water quality. Each year many scientific publications, technical documents and conference posters are written that report on many aspects of water quality. Unfortunately, few people are aware of all this new knowledge and it is unrealistic to expect that the stakeholder community at-large will have the opportunity to read these works, yet alone summarize their findings and directly use this information in a decision-making context. Indeed, this type of information may not even find its way into management discussions unless directly introduced by technical experts. As a result we have seen: (1) significant bottlenecks during the SNPLMA research priority and relevancy discussions, (2) a reduction in the use and citation of available scientific results in technical reports, (3) some management decisions being made without taking advantage of published material, (4) difficulty in updating the Basin’s Key Management Questions, and (5) a condition where stakeholder obtain their science information in a piece-meal fashion, finding it difficult to appreciate the numerous examples of how management and science are actually connected in the Tahoe basin. As science typically comes in the form of important, yet incremental advances we need a mechanism to provide both: (1) a summary of individual project results, and (2) a format linking them together and coupling them to management programs and decisions. Without this the flow of information is compromised and could even be lost to those outside the scientific community. Standard Methods for Regional Monitoring: The goal of this task is to complete the development of a monitoring plan that describes standardized methods for monitoring soil disturbance resulting from vegetation management activities in sensitive areas (e.g., SEZ’s and steep slopes) in the Tahoe Basin. It is our intention to produce a monitoring plan that agencies can uniformly apply throughout the Tahoe Basin. An independent panel commissioned to review vegetation management practices in sensitive areas of the Tahoe Basin found that “There is a critical need to develop a basin-wide protocol for ‘standardized methods of ecological measurement and monitoring” in the Tahoe Basin.” Funding allocated under this task would be used to directly engage members of the scientific community to work with agency representatives in the development of standardized methods for documenting soil disturbance resulting from vegetation management projects and for documenting the effectiveness of required mitigations. In the longer term, it is expected that application of standardized monitoring methods will allow for direct comparison of results among projects and technologies. Such comparisons are needed to support advancement of vegetation management practices and technologies used in the Tahoe Basin. Peer Review: This work plan provides funding necessary to allow the TSC to continue providing essential independent peer review services of science activities in the Lake Tahoe basin. Sufficient funding is requested to support TSC-led peer review of the science proposals received in response to the SNPLMA Lake Tahoe science program request for proposal. The TSC will also work with agencies to scope special initiative reviews or project reviews; however, this work plan does not include funding to complete these reviews. The TSC will remain receptive to administering additional reviews if supplementary external funds are provided. Technical Assistance: The TSC proposes to organize one or more workshops to discuss technical issues associated with some of the more challenging management issues facing the Lake Tahoe Basin. The exact topics of these workshops will be determined in consultation with resource management agency representatives, but example topics include, methods for accomplishing forest fuel reduction in stream environment zones, review and summary of models developed to estimate storm water pollution loads, or identifying information needs to develop quantitative water quality standards for the near shore zone of Lake Tahoe. These workshops will focus on clarifying the state of knowledge, resolving conflicts in understanding, and reducing uncertainty. The workshops will typically last one day and may include presenters from inside and outside the Lake Tahoe basin. Written summaries of information and outcomes from each technical workshop will be posted on the TSC web page. Program Management: We propose to pursue the development of a strategic plan for the TSC as part of this work plan. Development of the strategic plan will rely in part on input from agency representatives and stakeholders to determine the impact of TSC activities and to identify future program goals. The strategic plan will also propose indicators to evaluate the effectiveness of the TSC in supporting the delivery of useful and integrated science to promote restoration in the Tahoe basin. The TSC will provide quarterly reports of its progress on the tasks described in this work plan. The schedule for submission of these reports will be set by the PSW. Specifically, these reports will summarize activities and accomplishments on the development of regional monitoring plans for the Lake Tahoe basin, implementation of the peer review process, and scientific consultation and information transfer. |
||
| 08/04/2017 3:22 PM | System | Round 7: Science Planning: The goal of this task is to continue the development of issue specific regional monitoring plans that support the larger goal of developing a comprehensive monitoring program for the Lake Tahoe Basin. Specifically, efforts under this task would focus on the development of more detailed descriptions and recommendations for the science activities of: (a) status and trends monitoring, (b) project/program performance monitoring, (c) data and information management, and (d) data assimilation, synthesis, and information communication. These efforts would be pursued for specific topic area(s) to be chosen in collaboration with Lake Tahoe resource management and regulatory agencies. Work by the TSC to develop regional monitoring plans will require collaboration and interaction with agencies representatives to identify management goals and objectives. In addition, several agencies have funded projects aimed at producing monitoring plans for some program areas, and working collaboratively we hope to integrate these efforts. For example, TRPA is beginning work to develop monitoring plans for threshold indicators in collaboration with Pathway planning agencies (USFS, NDEP, and LRWQCB). This monitoring program will be used to assess the status of various threshold indicators and provide the data necessary for periodic threshold assessments. These activities should produce products of relevance to both regional monitoring plans and a comprehensive monitoring program for the Lake Tahoe Basin. Peer Review: A significant function of the Tahoe Science Consortium (TSC) is to provide the service of independent and unbiased scientific review of science activities or scientific results produced through any of the levels (Proposal Level, Project Level, and Program Level). This peer review is intended to ensure that science activities conducted in the basin, and funded by agencies charged with the management and restoration of the Lake Tahoe basin, are scientifically sound, consistent with the basin’s science plan, compatible with previous research activities, and in compliance with the federal Data Quality Act (Section 515 of Public Law 106-554). Technical Assistance: The TSC will provide scientific consultation and information transfer services at the request of resource management agency representatives and established committees. The extent of input and consultation will be limited by available funding, but the TSC will remain receptive to providing additional assistance if supplementary external funds are made available. Completion of a forest management literature review and synthesis papers is one specific technical assistance project the TSC will complete under this work plan. The goal of this effort is to assemble all the recent scientific literature that pertains to Lake Tahoe Basin forest management issues, and to interpret results and findings that could be applicable to management problems in the Basin. This means considering both research that has been conducted in and around the Basin as well as research done elsewhere that could be relevant to Lake Tahoe Basin conditions. A web-based annotated bibliography is being produced using previously received SNPLMA funding. Funding allocated in this work plan will be combined with funding from the USFS Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit to produce up to five synthesis papers. We anticipate the lead authors will submit these papers to professional journals for publication. Knowledge transfer from the TSC to other agencies and the public also will be accomplished through the TSC website. This website is an important tool for information dissemination to make people aware of TSC activities and other science activities occurring throughout the Lake Tahoe Basin. The website will include information on research programs currently being performed in the basin, summaries of current and past studies, and links to information about agency, research institutions, and individual researcher activities. The TSC proposes to organize one or more workshops to discuss technical issues associated with some of the more challenging management issues facing the Lake Tahoe Basin. The exact topics of these workshops will be determined in consultation with resource management agency representatives, but example topics include, methods for accomplishing forest fuel reduction in stream environment zones, or identifying information needs to develop quantitative water quality standards for the near shore zone of Lake Tahoe. These workshops will focus on clarifying the state of knowledge, resolving conflicts in understanding, and reducing uncertainty. The workshops will typically last one day and may include presenters from inside and outside the Lake Tahoe basin. Written summaries of information and outcomes from each technical workshop will be posted on the TSC web page. Program Management: Management of the TSC operations and functions, its programs, and activities is a primary responsibility of the Executive Director and Program Coordinator. Program management includes ongoing communication of TSC activities. These activities include convening regular meetings of the COS and TSC staff; meeting with the Executive Committee, supporting TSC participation in various agency committees (e.g., TSACC, TIE, and LTFAC); and the preparation and distribution of TSC information materials via presentations, the TSC website, or written materials. The TSC will provide quarterly reports of its progress on the tasks described in this work plan. The schedule for submission of these reports will be set by the PSW. Specifically, these reports will summarize activities and accomplishments on the development of regional monitoring plans for the Lake Tahoe basin, implementation of the peer review process, and scientific consultation and information transfer. |
||
| 08/04/2017 2:59 PM | System | Publications: www.tahoescience.org |