Upper Truckee Marsh Restoration
This project is one of the largest wetland restoration initiatives in the Sierra Nevada region, encompassing more than 500 acres of marsh habitat and approximately 10,000 feet of river channel. Led by the California Tahoe Conservancy, the project aims to restore ecological processes and improve environmental conditions within the Upper Truckee River watershed, an area affected by decades of channel modifications, sediment loading, and habitat degradation.
California Tahoe Conservancy
Streams & Rivers
South Lake Tahoe, California
NHC led planning and design services for the project, including environmental permitting, resource protection planning, detailed design, construction support, and long-term restoration monitoring. The project focuses on restoring natural floodplain and wetland functions that have been compromised by the construction of a straightened and incised river channel through the marsh.
The restoration strategy reintroduces water to historic wetland areas by directing flows from the existing river channel into a network of pilot channels and relict channels throughout the marsh. Biotechnical design features help distribute flows across the wetland while minimizing channel erosion and promoting natural habitat development. A phased implementation approach allowed the river system to gradually adapt to changing hydraulic conditions while providing opportunities for adaptive management and future restoration enhancements.
The project is designed to improve water quality, reduce sediment transport, restore natural hydrologic and ecological processes, and create more resilient wetland and floodplain habitats. At the same time, the project maintains and enhances public access to this important recreational and environmental resource.
Restores critical river and wetland ecosystems by improving water quality, re-establishing natural floodplain processes, enhancing wildlife habitat, and preserving public access to a vital environmental and recreational resource.
