At its meeting last week, the California Tahoe Conservancy Board agreed to provide $150,000 to the U.S. Forest Service, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, to construct a bridge across Griff Creek, near Kings Beach.

Along with funding from California State Parks’ Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division, the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit will use the conservancy funds to build a new bridge along Gas Line Road across the creek. The new bridge replaces one that collapsed in 2013, and is located on the conservancy’s 642-acre Griff Creek property, north of Kings Beach in Placer County. The new bridge will be designed to protect the creek and reestablishes a safe connection for recreational visitors and emergency personnel.

“The Conservancy’s Griff Creek property and surrounding National Forest properties are popular recreation lands with locals and visitors alike,” said Placer County Supervisor and Conservancy Board Vice Chair Cindy Gustafson. “It’s exciting to see progress on an important connection that will protect the creek’s habitat.”

---

---

Replacing the bridge is projected to reduce environmental harm to Griff Creek. Along with the bridge construction, the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit and the conservancy will stabilize the creek bank and perform restoration activities to increase fish habitat, decrease sediment loss, improve water quality, and protect sensitive environmental resources in the area.

The new bridge will also be large enough to allow access for wildland emergency vehicles. By enabling emergency personnel to respond faster to incidents in the area, the bridge will enhance public safety and wildfire protection.

---

---

The conservancy funding serves as a match to a grant California State Parks awarded to the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit to construct the bridge.

At the same meeting, the California Tahoe Conservancy Board authorized the acquisition of 3.3 acres of environmentally sensitive land within the Upper Truckee River floodplain in El Dorado County. The property, at 1450 Boca Raton Drive, contains mountain meadow and wetland habitat. Conservancy-owned land surrounds the parcel. The acquisition will allow the California Tahoe Conservancy Board to preserve this parcel in its natural and open space condition, and protect its scenic and watershed resources.