Lake Tahoe Basin Fires & Erosion

The Lake Tahoe Basin is a global treasure: pristine waters, world-class vistas, and forest treasures. Recent fires in the Basin (Angora Fire) have raised interest in balancing fire hazard reduction and restoration efforts with their effect on erosion into Lake Tahoe. Our research seeks to understand the mechanisms of fire behavior in long-unburned Tahoe forests and link these fires to effects on surface erosion and plant diversity.

This Tahoe Science- Sierra Nevada Land Management Plan Act (SNLMPA) -funded project is a collaborative effort among Andy Stubblefield (HSU Watershed Management Lab- PI), the HSU Fire Lab, Eric Knapp (USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Research Station Co-PI), and Marc Grismer (University of California at Davis).