Modeling BMPs in Sensitive Areas with XPSWMM

Located on the border of California and Nevada, Lake Tahoe (the Lake) is the largest alpine lake in North America. It is known for its scenic beauty and outstanding lake clarity. However, the clarity of the Lake has been declining since the mid-1960s because of the deposition of fine particles and nutrients from urban runoff and the growth of aquatic organisms that feed off the nutrients in the runoff (U.C. Davis, 2010). A program to restore the clarity of Lake Tahoe has been initiated and involves the development of numerous projects to control the quality of runoff entering the Lake.

One such project is the Kings Beach Watershed Improvement Project (WIP). The WIP includes a planning-level process that analyzes runoff patterns in the Kings Beach community at the north end of Lake Tahoe and proposes methods to treat runoff generated in the community before it reaches Lake Tahoe.