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The indicator measures the percentage of land cover dominated by meadow (wet and dry variants) and wetland vegetation in the Tahoe Region in relation to the total amount of undisturbed vegetation. The relative proportion of meadows and wetlands is important because the areas provide flood attenuation, wildlife habitat, ground water recharge, water filtration, and aesthetic and recreation values. The primary factors influencing the extent of meadow and wetland vegetation are the geomorphic setting and the seasonal or permanent presence of surface groundwater, subsurface groundwater, and/or saturated soil. Urbanization has altered the movement of water through some meadow and wetland systems through impoundments, water rerouting, and the creation of impervious surface such as paved roads and building footprints. TRPA has adopted policies and ordinances designed to promote the conservation and protection of existing meadow and wetland vegetation types. In addition, Environmental Improvement Program partners implement meadow and wetland restoration and enhancement projects, which have increased in wetland and meadow vegetation acreage. Programs such as TRPA’s transfer of development rights program provide additional incentives for moving development rights out of environmentally sensitive areas.
No reported data for this Indicator
- Status
- Somewhat Worse Than Target
- Trend
- Little or No Change
- Confidence
- Moderate
- The recently completed SEZ baseline assessment identified 6,061 acres of meadow and wetland. For additional detail see: https://gis.trpa.org/TahoeSEZViewer/
- The threshold target is at least four percent of undisturbed landscape as meadows and wetlands. The Tahoe Region is at 88 percent of the target.
- For the last 40 years, Environmental Improvement Program partners have implemented projects to restore and enhance meadows and wetlands.
Wetland and Meadow Vegetation Types
- This indicator measures the percentage of land cover dominated by meadow (wet and dry variants) and wetland vegetation in the Tahoe Region in relation to the total amount of undisturbed vegetation. The relative proportion of meadows and wetlands is important because the areas provide a number of services including flood attenuation, wildlife habitat, ground water recharge, water filtration, and aesthetic and recreation values.
- Several factors can influence the extent of meadow vegetation in the Tahoe Region. The primary factors responsible for meadow and wetland vegetation are the geomorphic setting and the seasonal or permanent presence of surface groundwater, subsurface groundwater, and/or saturated soil (Mitsch et al., 2009; Potter, 2005). A regular fire-return frequency in the Region historically contributed to the maintenance of meadow vegetation by eliminating encroaching conifer trees (Murphy and Knopp, 2010). Historic grazing and Comstock era land uses changed how water moves through meadows and wetlands, resulting in drier soils not capable of supporting meadow and wetland vegetation (Murphy and Knopp, 2010). Urbanization has similarly altered the movement of water through meadow and wetland systems through impoundments, water rerouting, and the creation of impervious surface such as paved roads and building footprints (Murphy and Knopp, 2010). Groundwater extraction for consumptive use may also influence the vigor of meadow and wetland vegetation in localized areas.
Example EIP Projects
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Restoration of Fire Adapted Ecosystems
This project completed by the USDA Forest Service reduced conifer encroachment into the Baldwin, Freel, Meiss, Benwood, Star, and Hellhole meadows.
- Somewhat worse than target. The baseline SEZ assessment identified 6,061 acres of meadow and wetland in the Region. The basis for attainment is 4% of the undisturbed vegetation of the region or 6,857 of the 171,438 acres. Based on this target, the Region is at 88% of attainment. Consequently, a determination of somewhat worse than target was determined.
- Little or no change. No major disturbance events (e.g. fires, disease, clearing) that would have significantly altered the extent of vegetative communities in the Region occurred.
- Moderate. There is moderate to high confidence that in the absence of disturbance events (e.g. fires, disease, clearing) the spatial extent of the vegetation communities in the Region does not change considerably over a four-year period.
- Moderate. There is moderate to high confidence that in the absence of disturbance events (e.g. fires, disease, clearing) the spatial extent of the vegetation communities in the Region does not change considerably over a four-year period.
- Moderate
No photos available.
No documents available.
April 2017. EcObject Vegetation Map v2.1 Product Guide. USDA Forest Service, R5 Remote Sensing Lab.