Ward Creek Restoration Project

Overview

The Forest Service, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) and California Tahoe Conservancy are jointly planning the Ward Creek Restoration Project (Project). The LTBMU and Conservancy propose to restore habitat and remove conifers on LTBMU and Conservancy lands along the creek and adjacent to Ward Creek Boulevard, approximately 1.5 miles upstream from State Route 89. The Conservancy and the LTBMU want to hear from you as staff plans the project. Join the site walk or email your comments. See details below.

Public Invited to Tour Project Site with Conservancy and LTBMU Staff

The project team is hosting a public site walk to present concepts, take questions, and hear comments:

• Location: Ward Creek Restoration Project Area
• Time: June 1, 2026, noon – 1:00 p.m.
• Directions: Parking is available along the shoulder of Ward Creek Boulevard, about 0.25 miles past the Stanford Rock trailhead. Google map with directions here. Also see map below.
• Accessibility: The event will include a short walk on trails and native surfaces. The trails will be on uneven surfaces and might require stepping over roots, rocks, or logs. We will be walking through an area with mosquitoes, so participants may want to wear appropriate layers or use insect repellent.

Email Jen Greenberg, jen.greenberg@tahoe.ca.gov, with your questions or comments. Conservancy staff also expect this project will be on the agenda for the Conservancy Board’s June 18, 2026, meeting. The Board meeting agenda will be available on the Conservancy website ten days prior to the meeting.

History

The Project area is roughly 36 acres with about 0.75 miles of stream channel. Approximately 75 percent of the area is federal land, and 25 percent Conservancy land. Logging and grazing in the Project area created roads and ditches across the floodplain that now force flows to remain within the stream channel instead of spreading across the valley. These historic impacts led to an oversized channel, localized streambank erosion, reduced aquatic habitat quality, drier floodplain conditions, conifer encroachment, and increased risk of wildfire. Two recreational trails with small parking areas are adjacent to the Project: the Tahoe Rim Trail at the upstream end of the Project, and the Stanford Rock Trail at the downstream end. The 2019 Lake Tahoe West Restoration Strategy identified this area as a high priority for restoration to increase in-stream and meadow habitat complexity, promote biodiversity, and improve water quality.

The Conservancy and the LTBMU propose the following restoration actions as part of the Project:

• Removing encroached conifer trees from the meadow,
• Regrading areas of the floodplain to remove relic ditches and road surfaces,
• Installing logs and vegetation on the riverbanks and floodplain, and
• Redirecting stream flow onto the floodplain.

Ward Creek images

Ward Creek looking downstream toward Lake Tahoe