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This indicator measures community noise levels in the wilderness and roadless 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.
- Status
- At or Somewhat Better Than Target
- Trend
- Little or No Change
- Confidence
- Moderate
- Compared to the 2015 Threshold Evaluation Report, there is little to no change in overall noise levels in Tahoe Region wilderness and roadless areas.
- Noise levels in each plan area are assessed using the maximum 24-hour noise measurement (i.e., the loudest noise measurement of the day, regardless of duration). Most days most plan areas are within the noise standards, although many plan areas exceed the noise standard on a few days.
- Average noise levels across all monitored wilderness and roadless areas are within the threshold standard.
Wilderness and roadless area noise monitoring locations within the Tahoe Basin.
- This indicator measures 24-hour noise levels in the wilderness and roadless land use category 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 wilderness areas, can be especially disruptive. 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.
- Anthropogenic noise levels affecting these land use categories and transportation corridors are primarily generated from vehicles, roadway traffic, aircraft, and recreational activity. Other secondary anthropogenic noise influences include noise attributed to road construction and ambient basin noise. Natural events such as thunderstorms and wind influence noise levels as environmental drivers.
Monitoring Programs
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Noise - Plan Areas
Noise monitors are put out in some Wilderness and Roadless Plan Areas for 1 to 2 weeks during peak noise periods (generally summer). The average 24-hour CNEL measured is used to assess noise levels.
- To measure the current status, the average CNEL for all days measured within wilderness and roadless areas during the current evaluation period of 2016-2019 was used. The average CNEL during this period is 45.52 dB, which is 94 percent of the maximum allowable levels. Therefore, the current status is at or somewhat better than target.
- To determine trend, the average CNEL for all days measured within wilderness and roadless areas for each reporting period is assessed. There has been little to no change in the overall trend.
- High. Standardized protocols were used and a large number of sites were monitored.
- Low. Standardized protocols were used and a large number of sites were monitored but there is no clear trend.
- Moderate.
No photos available.
No documents available.