2011 Lake Tahoe Summit
Download PDF PublicationDRI and The University of Nevada have highly cooperative, productive and ongoing research programs across a variety of topics in the Lake Tahoe Basin that are doing their best to provide quality science to inform basin managers and policymakers.

This year’s Tahoe Summit report from the University and DRI outlines research projects at Lake Tahoe featuring many talented researchers who have invested their careers in preserving Lake Tahoe. The publication also includes profiles of alumni who are currently working in the Basin.

“By far, the two Nevada institutions provide the key information related to most topics concerning the restoration of the Tahoe watershed, including air, land, water and human interactions,” Mike Collopy, assistant vice president for research; executive director, Academy for the Environment; and director, Office of Undergraduate Research at the University of Nevada, Reno.

Jim Thomas, interim executive director for the division of hydrologic sciences at DRI, agreed. “Our two institutions serve Nevada and the Tahoe Basin by extending expertise, knowledge and program leadership in the area’s atmospheric processes; groundwater and surface water interaction; storm-water monitoring; the modeling and predicting of wildfire; soils and nutrient cycling as it relates to impacts on water quality; the study of the impact of fire on soils; invasive plants and water quality; and species diversity including aquatic ecology.”

“There are dozens more examples where our researchers are achieving synergies through the sharing of knowledge and ideas, the collaboration of research and ultimately the combination of talent. We have a list here of high-priority projects for 2011, but it’s really just a sampling of the spectrum of work we all do,” Collopy said.