Marine biologists from UC Davis, Cal Berkeley, UNR Reno/Las Vegas and several other colleges have pooled their expertise to control the destructive Asian Clam growth in lake Tahoe.   The clams have gotten a foot hold in several areas at the lake and are multiplying at an incredible rate.  The method being used to inhibit the clams growth and reproduction is to spread a rubber mat on the bottom of the lake in ½ acre segments.  This method apparently deprives the clams of oxygen thus stopping the clam reproduction and their growth by killing the clams in that ½ acre section.

 

          The first mat has just been  placed in the lake this month.  The mats apparently must be in place for several months in order determine their effectiveness.  Results will not be determined until September of this year.   If this method proves to be successful then a larger effort will be launched to safeguard this pristine resource.  The current effort has had a cost of $1,500,000.   There are apparently more monies available from California, Nevada and private sources to formulate the larger irradication effort if this present experiment proves successful.

 

Don Schaller

Broker Owner

Schaller Family Realtors

Dickson Realty Truckee

Alltruckeehomes.com