Sierra Colina Village
P. O. Box 129
Lake Tahoe, NV 89448

Planning for...
LEED* Green Certification
Energy Star Rating
Pedestrian & Bike Trails
All Fire Sprinklered Homes
Preserving Open Space
Moderate Income Homes

Yes. The nhc analysis in the Final EIS concluded that the proposed Project will reduce pollutant loads relative to the baseline condition for all pollutants of concern to lake clarity (i.e. suspended sediment, phosphorus, and nitrogen) by between 28% and 70% (See pages 11-13 of the nhc Supplemental Water Quality Analysis (Sierra Colina Final EIS (Appendix AA)).

As explained in Master Response F of the Sierra Colina Final EIS at page 2-249, the Lake Tahoe TMDL requirements are not yet policy in the Tahoe Basin. Although it is probable that there will be TMDL allocations that require load reduction for local jurisdictions in the Basin, it would be speculative to assume what the TMDL allocations would be, and how TRPA, NDEP and/or Douglas County would translate the allocations into permit requirements for a particular project, such as Sierra Colina.

Recognizing that future water quality regulations associated with the Lake Tahoe TMDL will be based on pollutant loads, however, nhc performed this analysis in response to public comments asking for a quantitative analysis of post-project water quality impacts for the Sierra Colina project. 

According to the nhc Supplemental Water Quality Analysis (Sierra Colina Final EIS, Appendix AA),  nhc performed a quantitative analysis of the proposed the Sierra Colina Project to compare calculated pollutant loading from the existing conditions on the Sierra Colina parcel today (including the actual physical condition of the parcel in its existing, undeveloped condition at the time of this analysis) to pollutant loading in the post-project condition, after completion of the Sierra Colina project. 

Recognizing that uncertainties exist in the estimation of pollutant loading, nhc took a conservative approach to the quantitative analysis by excluding the water quality benefits associated with the reduction in pollutant loading that will be achieved by the Project from the proposed restoration of existing pollutant sources on the parcel (i.e., restoring the SEZ utility road; decommissioning the dirt trails through the SEZ; and stopping further erosion of the parcel and Lake Village Drive from public runoff from Echo Drive dumping onto the parcel through the unauthorized discharge pipe).  This approach produces a conservative comparison of pre- and post-project estimated pollutant loads because the water quality improvements that will be achieved from reduction of these existing pollutant sources which are part of the Sierra Colina project are not included in the comparison between baseline and post-project conditions.

The pollutant loading analysis concluded in Table 4 that implementation of the proposed Project will reduce pollutant loads relative to the baseline condition for all pollutants of concern to lake clarity (i.e. suspended sediment, phosphorus, and nitrogen) by between 28% and 70% (See pages 11-13 of the nhc Supplemental Water Quality Analysis (Sierra Colina Final EIS (Appendix AA)).

The post-project condition achieves a lower pollutant load relative to the baseline condition because of:

1) the high level of water quality mitigation associated with the Sierra Colina TMDL Treatment Tier 2 Stormwater Management Plan, which minimizes the pollutant load increase attributed to the proposed development; and

2) the load reduction achieved by treating on the Sierra Colina parcel 26,000 square feet (0.6 acres) of public storm water generated off-site from Echo Drive and Kingsbury Middle School in an advanced storm water treatment system funded and maintained by Sierra Colina. 

The conservative basis of comparison between the baseline condition and the post-project condition provides a high level of confidence that the Project will result in substantial water quality improvements relative to the existing pollutant loading on the parcel and the 0.6 acres of the surrounding drainage area (Lake Village Drive and Echo Drive), which the Sierra Colina project treats and maintains at its expense.

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