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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 annually.
Noise monitor
Community Noise Equivalent Level (CNEL) values in plan areas that include critical wildlife habitat areas.
Data collected by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency. Access detailed datasets, including Noise Data Summaries, on Tahoe Open Data.
- Status
- Somewhat Worse Than Target
- Trend
- Little or No Change
- Confidence
- Moderate
- 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. TRPA and local jurisdictions review proposed public and private projects to determine if the project would result in increases in existing CNEL that would exceed applicable standards (TRPA Code of Ordinances). Projects that would exceed applicable CNEL standards are required to mitigate project-related noise.
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
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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.
Monitoring Programs
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Noise - Plan Areas
TRPA monitors background noise levels in all Plan Areas in the Tahoe Basin to ensure noise levels are not disturbing people and wildlife, and to maintain the unique characteristics of the Basin.
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Noise - Shorezone
TRPA monitors noise from motorized watercraft in the shorezone of Lake Tahoe to ensure noise levels are not being exceeded to maintain the serenity of Lake Tahoe and to protect sensitive wildlife.
- Somewhat worse than target. Critical wildlife areas are designated in 10 plan area statements within the Tahoe Region. TRPA conducted CNEL noise monitoring at six of these 10 locations between 2020-2023. The average 24-hour CNEL in these seven plan areas was 53 dBA, 18% above the 45 dBA standard. Average 24-hour CNEL in these plan areas ranged from 42.4 dBA to 62 dBA.
- Little or No Change. To determine trend, the average CNEL for all days measured within critical wildlife habitat land use areas for each reporting period is assessed. The trend shows no change in the annual mean dBA per evaluation period, a trend of little to no change was determined.
- High. Noise monitoring follows monitoring protocol and has spatial variation.
- Low. Trend determination is based off of 2 monitoring periods.
- Moderate. If one confidence rating is high and the other is low, the overall confidence rating is moderate.
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