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

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Moderate Income Homes

Yes. In 2006, the Nevada Tahoe Conservation District (NTCD) and Northwest Hydraulic Consultants conceived a monitoring work plan to provide baseline water quality data for Burke Creek in the vicinity of the Sierra Colina parcel.  Six (6) sites were sampled for water quality (5 in Burke Creek and 1 in a drainage channel for the soccer fields associated with the Kahle Community Center [adjacent to Sierra Colina] that flows into Burke Creek only during significant runoff events).  (For a graphic depiction of the location of the water quality monitoring sites, see website home page, “Facts/Links” to “Link” for “DEIS – Sierra Colina Village” at DEIS page 4.7-17, Exhibit 4.7-6).

East of the Sierra Colina parcel there were 3 Burke Creek sampling locations  (WQ-1 (the main stem of Burke Creek) and WQ-2 (an ephemeral tributary to Burke Creek), both immediately downstream from residential roads and residential development [Chimney Rock, Mid-Kingsbury and Lower-Kingsbury]; and WQ-3, located in an open wet meadow area with relatively dense riparian vegetation just upstream from the Sierra Colina parcel which provides an indication of the quality of water entering the property. 

On the Sierra Colina parcel there were 2 Burke Creek sampling locations (WQ-4, located in a slightly incised section of Burke Creek with some evidence of active bank erosion; and WQ-6, located above U.S. Highway 50 near the Sierra Colina property boundary (WQ-6 is the most downstream sample site providing an indication of the quality of water discharging from the Sierra Colina property).

NTCD collected 12 storm event samples and 7 baseline flow samples and measured creek flow data for approximately two years from February 2006 through December 2007.  The final report is an Appendix to the Sierra Colina Village DEIS.  The report’s findings and NTCD’s observations concerning Burke Creek and its baseline conditions indicate data collected has shown that Burke Creek water quality has relatively low concentrations for pollutants of concern for Lake Tahoe clarity (i.e. fine sediment, phosphorous, and nitrogen).  This finding is supported by the following observations from the baseline data collected.

• None of the samples taken in Burke Creek were above TRPA’s maximum allowable concentrations for discharge to surface water for species of dissolved nitrogen or dissolved phosphorus.
• All TSS (i.e. suspended sediment) concentrations measured in Burke Creek were below the TRPA threshold of 250 mg/l and average concentrations were well below the TRPA threshold.  Average concentrations of TSS for runoff events (36 mg/l) were triple base flow measurements (12 mg/l). 
• Average particle size for baseflow samples and event flow samples is 131 and 167 µm, respectively.  The fraction of fine sediment in Burke Creek (defined as < 10 µm) averaged 6% of TSS for both baseflow and event flow samples.

The baseline data collected supports recent stream channel estimates of pollutant loading for Burke Creek, calculated as part of the Lake Tahoe Total Maximum Daily Load (“TMDL”).  The TMDL work estimates Burke Creek pollutant loads to be similar to some of the less disturbed streams in the Tahoe Basin (e.g., Lonely Gulch Creek, McKinney Creek, etc.), and much less than disturbed streams such as the Upper Truckee River, Blackwood Creek, and Ward Creek.

The current state of the Burke Creek watershed relative to other watersheds in the Lake Tahoe Basin in terms of its relative contribution to pollutant loads draining into Lake Tahoe is reflected in the following TMDL data table that depicts the relatively small pollutant load from Burke Creek.

Although Burke Creek may not be a large source of pollutants in the context of the Tahoe Basin, restoration of the creek can provide incremental benefits in reducing pollutant loads to Lake Tahoe.  In addition to reducing pollutant loads to the lake, improved water quality in Burke Creek will positively affect other restoration objectives, such as improved aquatic habitat. TRPA is currently the lead agency on EIP #161 (Restoration of Burke Creek), in which neighboring property owners along Burke Creek, including Sierra Colina, are participants. (Sierra Colina Village DEIS Chapter 4.7-Hydrology, pages 4.7-8 to 4.7-19).

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