Climate Resilience Dashboard
EIP Project Tracker
Lake Clarity Tracker
Monitoring Dashboard
Parcel Tracker
Threshold Dashboard
Transportation Tracker
This indicator measures community noise levels in the critical wildlife habitat land use areas. Cumulative noise or community noise equivalent level (CNEL) is a noise measurement based on a weighted average of all measured noise over a 24-hour period. Excessive noise in the Tahoe Region can impact wildlife, visitors’ experiences, and residents’ quality of life. Primary drivers of community noise levels in the Region have been attributed to anthropogenic activities such as vehicular travel in transportation corridors and aircraft activity at the South Lake Tahoe Airport. Regional programs such as encouraging the use of low-noise pavement and limiting noise at outdoor concerts aim to reduce community noise levels in the Region. CNEL is monitored in plan areas across the Region once every four years.
Community Noise Equivalent Level (CNEL) values for 2017-2019 monitoring in plan areas that include critical wildlife habitat areas. Plan areas without values were not monitored during this period.
Community Noise Equivalent Level (CNEL) is a measure of noise that is the logarithmic average of 24-hours of weighted noise values as measured by a noise monitor.
TRPA CNEL Plan Area Noise Monitoring, https://monitoring.laketahoeinfo.org/PlanAreaNoise.
- Status
- Considerably Worse Than Target
- Trend
- Insufficient Data to Determine Trend
- Confidence
- Low
- There is little to no change in overall noise levels in critical wildlife habitat areas.
- Average noise levels in plan areas that include critical wildlife habitat areas are above the threshold standard.
- Management actions from the Shoreline Plan, particularly restrictions on loud boats, may improve noise levels in critical wildlife areas along the shores of Lake Tahoe.
Map of TRPA Plan Areas that include Critical Wildlife Habitat. Background noise levels in the Critical Wildlife Habitat Areas Land Use areas shall not exceed 45 dBA CNEL.
- This indicator measures 24-hour noise levels in critical wildlife land use categories in the Lake Tahoe Region. In recent years, visitors to and residents of the Lake Tahoe Region have expressed concerns about the decline in serenity of their community and their enjoyment of the outdoors due to excessive noise from sources such as on-highway vehicles, off-highway vehicles, over-snow vehicles, watercraft and aircraft. Excessive noise levels, specifically in critical wildlife habitat areas, can be especially disruptive. Agencies in the basin have adopted specific restrictions and threshold standards to protect sensitive wildlife habitat, and have identified this unique fauna on a special interest species list. In addition to existing federal, state, and local noise control regulations to address impacts of noise on both wildlife and people, TRPA adopted community noise equivalent levels (CNEL) for all land use categories in the Region.
- Noise sources that affect critical wildlife areas in the Region include automobiles, motorized watercraft, aircraft and other recreational activity. Natural events such as thunderstorms, wave slap, and wind can influence noise levels as environmental drivers.
Local and Regional Plans
-
Shoreline Implementation Plan
Management actions from the Shoreline Plan, particularly restrictions on loud boats, may improve noise levels in critical wildlife areas along the shores of Lake Tahoe.
- Considerably worse than target. Critical wildlife areas are designated in 10 plan area statements within the Tahoe Region. TRPA conducted CNEL noise monitoring at seven of these 10 locations between 2016-2019. The average 24-hour CNEL in these seven plan areas was 50.2 dBA, significantly above the 45 dBA standard. Average 24-hour CNEL in these plan areas ranged from 45.0 dBA to 58.6 dBA; none of the plan areas were below the standard of 45 dBA.
- Insufficient data to determine trend. TRPA has collected CNEL noise monitoring data for critical wildlife areas in two or three years (2011, 2013, and either 2017, 2018, or 2019) for each location. Limited data availability precludes an analysis of trends.
- Moderate. Measurements for critical wildlife areas are available only for three years (2011, 2013, and either 2017, 2018, or 2019) for seven of the 10 plan areas that include critical wildlife habitat. None of the plan areas recorded an average CNEL below the standard of 45 dBA.
- Insufficient data to determine trend.
- Low. A more robust monitoring program was initiated in 2011. However, because limited data is available, overall confidence is low.
No photos available.
No documents available.