TAHOE SCIENCE CONSORTIUM WORK PLAN
Submitted for: Round Eleven Funding of the Southern Nevada Public
Lands Management Act (Lake Tahoe science funding)
Submitted to: U.S. Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station
5 January 2012
REQUESTED FUNDING: $315,000
Principal Investigator:
Dr. Michael W. Collopy, Director, Academy for the Environment, MS 436, 108 Mackay
Science Bldg., University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557-0192; 775/784-8262 (phone);
775/784-8261 (fax), mcollopy@cabnr.unr.edu
Co-Principal Investigators:
Dr. John Reuter, Assoc. Director, Tahoe Environmental Research Center, University of
California, Davis, CA 95616; 530/304-1473 (phone); 530/753-8407 (fax);
jereuter@ucdavis.edu
Dr. Alan Gertler, Division of Atmospheric Sciences, Desert Research Institute, 2215
Raggio Parkway, Reno, NV 89512; 775/674-7061 (phone); 775/674-7060 (fax);
Alan.Gertler@dri.edu
Dr. Wally Miller, Assoc. Director, Academy for the Environment, MS 436, 108 Mackay
Science Bldg., University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557-0192; 775/784-4072 (phone);
775/784-1369 (fax); wilymalr@cabnr.unr.edu
Dr. Geoffrey Schladow, Director, Tahoe Environmental Research Center, 3111
Engineering III, University of California, Davis, CA 95616; 530/752-6932 (phone);
530/752-7872 (fax); gschladow@undavis.edu
Dr. Alan Heyvaert , Ass. Director, Center for Watersheds and Environmental
Sustainability, Desert Research Institute, 2215 Raggio Parkway, Reno, NV 89512;
775/673-7325 (phone); 775/752-7363 (fax); alan.heyvaert@dri.edu
Introduction and Background
In support of a common desire to preserve, restore, and enhance the unique
environmental values of the Tahoe basin, federal, state and local resource
management/planning agencies and research institutions frequently partner in sciencebased planning and decision making. Collectively, these groups recognize that
scientific inquiry, resource assessment, and interpretation of available data are critical to
the development and implementation of environmental policy. Additionally, these
groups recognize that use of the best available scientific information is required by
resource managers to establish environmental standards for water and air quality, soil
conservation, wildlife, fish, and vegetation communities, as well as noise and scenic
conditions, and recreation opportunities in the Tahoe basin.
Since an initial MOU was signed in 1999 –pledging greater collaboration among the
research institutions working in the Tahoe basin– the relationship between the scientific
community and the management agencies/decision-makers has grown substantially.
The formation of the Lake Tahoe Science Advisory Group (SAG) in 2000 helped foster
this relationship; however, it was recognized that a more formal organization with
financial resources and increased institutional commitment from both research entities
and management agencies was required.
On August 20, 2005, thirteen executives from academia, State government (Nevada
and California) and the Federal government signed an MOU that pledged cooperation
towards the formation and operation of the Tahoe Science Consortium (TSC)1.
The purpose of the TSC is to contribute to the restoration of Lake Tahoe, its watershed,
and its air basin by providing timely scientific information of direct relevance to natural
resources management and land management in the basin. Substantial gaps exist in
our current understanding of environmental processes in the Lake Tahoe basin, and a
unified and collaborative research effort can provide the most efficient path to restoring
and maintaining the multiple components of the basin’s complex ecosystems.
Environmental management depends on reliable science efforts that are carried out in
an applied and integrative manner. Numerous institutions are actively involved in
research, modeling, and monitoring in the Tahoe basin, and it is a primary objective of
the TSC to provide environmental managers and decision-makers with the most
comprehensive and well-synthesized advice that can be drawn from those endeavors.
The TSC is working to accomplish this objective by:
Promoting integration among the many current and future scientific projects in
the basin.
Developing processes in collaboration with management agency representatives
that provide for ongoing communication between the scientific community and
resource management agencies.
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The TSC MOU is available at www.tahoescience.org
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Conducting synthesis and review work to summarize and communicate the
wealth of existing scientific information.
Developing and administering an independent peer review process for science
proposals and products.
Developing a sustainable organizational framework, governance structure, and
communication infrastructure for the TSC.
The University of Nevada-Reno (UNR), the University of California-Davis (UCD), the
Desert Research Institute (DRI), the US Geological Survey (USGS) and the USFSPacific Southwest Research Station (PSW) have all demonstrated a longstanding
commitment to research, monitoring and the application of science to management and
policy at Lake Tahoe. UNR, UCD and DRI have joined as partners in the submittal of
this proposed work plan. As primary collaborators, the USGS and PSW will be included
as active participants and equal partners in all TSC discussions and work products.
The working structure of the TSC includes: (a) an Executive Committee composed of
executive administrators from the five research institutions that provides strategic
guidance and leadership; (b) a Committee of Scientists (COS) that is responsible for
achieving the goals of the Consortium; (c) a director and program coordinator who work
with the COS to fulfill TSC commitments, produce products, and facilitate coordination
between the TSC and resource management agencies; and (d) the Science
Community, which is open to all researchers with interests and activities in the Tahoe
basin. The TSC also nominates a science and research representative to serve on the
Lake Tahoe Federal Advisory Committee.
New Activities for SNPLMA Rounds 11 and 12
Round 11 is the penultimate year of funding under SNPLMA. The last round of the
competitive grants (funded under SNPLMA Round 12) will be awarded in the spring of
2012 with the peer review process for SNPLMA Round 12 grants being funded from the
Round 10 allocation. During Rounds 11 and 12 the TSC will be pursuing new funding
opportunities to maintain and enhance the vibrant research environment in the Lake
Tahoe Basin. The TSC will also work with the management agencies to develop
opportunities for the science community to continue to provide the science-basis for
policies, regulations, and management actions in the Lake Tahoe Basin. One new
activity for the TSC will be organizing and preparing a “Lake Tahoe Science Program
Effectiveness Report.” This report will summarize the research activities funded by
SNPLMA, assess the role of the SNPLMA research program in effecting science-based
management decisions, and identify research gaps and unanswered scientific
questions.
The Rounds 11 and 12 budgets for TSC will be executed over 18 months for each
round (versus 12-months for the earlier rounds) to allow the TSC to continue operations
during the transition to new funding sources.
This work plan proposes three tasks for Round 11 TSC operations, including:
1) Peer Review: Administering scientific peer review of research projects, technical
reports, or other programs related to Lake Tahoe Basin management and
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restoration. Organizing, preparing and publishing the SNPLMA Tahoe Science
Report.
2) Technical Assistance: Providing scientific input and technical advice to resource
management agencies, including organization of workshops or other exchanges
that address challenging resource management issues.
3) Program Management: Managing the day-to-day operations and communications
of the TSC including interactions with the Tahoe Regional Executives Committee,
the Lake Tahoe Federal Advisory Committee, and other interagency committees.
Preparing progress reports as required by SNPLMA/BLM reporting conditions.
Developing new funding opportunities for the research community.
These tasks with their associated timelines and deliverables are discussed in more
detail below.
The successful accomplishment of the tasks described in this proposal requires the
maintenance of a modest infrastructure to organize and facilitate all TSC activities. This
work plan proposes to continue funding an executive director (Dr. Maureen McCarthy,
UNR) who will oversee the TSC’s day-to-day operations and serve as a strategic
planner in collaboration with the TSC Committee of Scientists (COS) and Executive
Committee. The executive director will lead tasks such as convening regular and
special meetings of the COS and Executive Committee; maintaining the TSC
organizational and governance structure; conducting outreach; working with
researchers to engage the Science Community and facilitating the interaction between
science and management through jointly defined processes for ongoing communication
and interaction; managing work plan tasks and product delivery; organizing technical
workshops/conferences; and developing a strategy and organizing the research
community to pursue new funding opportunities. The work plan also proposes to
continue funding a half-time program coordinator who will assist the executive director
in fulfilling her responsibilities.
Task 1: Program Review
Provide Independent Scientific Peer Review Services
Independent and unbiased review of both proposed and completed scientific work is a
critical component of the scientific process. In complex systems where science
activities are undertaken to produce information that reduces uncertainty, addresses
gaps in knowledge, and informs decision-makers, independent and unbiased scientific
review can be applied at multiple levels:
The Proposal Level: The review of proposals for new science is intended to improve
the quality of the experimental design associated with the proposed research,
monitoring, or adaptive management project.
The Project Level: Review of products (e.g., reports and manuscripts) from completed
science projects ensures that data analysis and interpretation are appropriate and
justified based on the work completed and the results of other relevant studies.
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The Program Level: Reviews at this level are intended to provide expert advice and
ideas about how to develop scientific information that best meets management needs or
policy goals, and to provide feedback on the quality of science that underpins program
activities.
A significant function of the Tahoe Science Consortium (TSC) is to coordinate the
service of independent and unbiased scientific review of science activities or scientific
results produced through any of the levels listed above. This peer review is intended to
ensure that science activities conducted in the basin, and funded by agencies charged
with the management and restoration of the Lake Tahoe basin, are sound, consistent
with the basin’s science plan, compatible with previous research activities, and in
compliance with the federal Data Quality Act (Section 515 of Public Law 106-554).
Work Activities and Products
1. This work plan provides funding necessary to allow the TSC to continue
coordinating essential independent peer review services of science activities in
the Lake Tahoe basin. The TSC will facilitate peer reviews of technical reports
and programs for agencies in the basin. The TSC will work with agencies to
scope special initiative reviews or project reviews; however, this work plan does
not include funding to conduct these reviews. The TSC will remain receptive to
administering additional reviews if supplementary external funds are provided.
2. The TSC will review the SNPLMA science program, summarize key findings,
assess the role of the SNPLMA research program in effecting science-based
management decisions, and identify gaps and unanswered questions that require
additional research. The findings of this review will be published as the Lake
Tahoe Science Program Effectiveness Report.
Expected Benefits and Measuring Effectiveness
The expected benefits are independent scientific input to sponsoring agencies to inform
management actions, agency decision-making, and program execution, and an
evaluation of the impact of SNPLMA science on creating science-based management
practices in the basin.
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Task 2: Technical Assistance
Scientific Consultation and Information Transfer
The TSC and its scientific resources propose to contribute (as requested and assuming
that support, if needed, is available) directly to the design, administration, and
implementation of resource management programs in the Lake Tahoe basin. TSC
technical assistance includes:
Provide guidance to agency staff in the development of adaptive management
programs and projects in key resource management issue areas, or in the
development of new tools (e.g., conceptual models) important to effective
adaptive management.
Advise agencies in the development of effective monitoring schemes, including
goal setting, development of conceptual models, indicator selection, sampling
design, data analysis, and interpretation of results.
Provide agencies with translation and evaluation of monitoring results,
examination of management practices (where appropriate), and integration of
new knowledge into resource management plans.
Provide science information and advice to Lake Tahoe basin land and
resource management agencies, participants in the basin’s Environmental
Improvement Program, members of the Lake Tahoe Federal Advisory
Committee, and interested stakeholders.
Provide guidance to agencies and jurisdictions in the development of the
scientific foundation underpinning environmental documents and facilitating
scientific review of management documents for scientific rigor.
Provide technical advice in the development of key management and
restoration planning efforts, including regional plans and the Environmental
Improvement Program.
Provide recommendations to management agencies for future funding for
scientific research in the basin. Support the development of the federal
agency cross-cut budget including research in support of planning, evaluation,
and execution of capital projects and other management actions.
Facilitate the utilization of rapid response funding (in accordance with the
Rapid Response Plans) to provide technical assistance to management
agencies in the event of an emergency.
Work Activities and Products
In addition to day-to-day interaction agencies with the management agencies and
research community, the TSC will organize workshops or roundtable discussions of
technical issues associated with challenging management issues facing the Lake Tahoe
Basin. The exact topics of these workshops will be determined in consultation with
resource management agency representatives, example topics include aquatic invasive
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species prevention and response, discussion of the impacts of climate change on
ecosystem services in the basin and surrounding region, and evaluations of the
economic benefits of the Lake Tahoe TMDL. These workshops will focus on clarifying
the state of knowledge, resolving conflicts in understanding, and reducing uncertainty.
The workshops will typically last one day and may include presenters from inside and
outside the Lake Tahoe basin. Written summaries of information and outcomes from
each technical workshop will be posted on the TSC web page.
Expected Benefits and Measuring Effectiveness
The expected benefits are tailored scientific input to management agencies to inform
specific management actions, agency decision-making, and program execution.
Task 3: Program Management
Management of the TSC operations and functions, its programs, and activities is a
primary responsibility of the Executive Director and Program Coordinator.
Program management includes ongoing communication of TSC activities. These
activities include convening regular meetings of the COS and TSC staff; meeting with
the Executive Committee, supporting TSC participation in various agency committees
(e.g., TREX, TIE, and LTFAC); and the preparation and distribution of TSC information
materials via presentations, the TSC website, or written materials.
Knowledge transfer from the TSC to other agencies and the public also will be
accomplished through the TSC website. This website is an important tool for
information dissemination to make people aware of TSC activities and other science
activities occurring throughout the Lake Tahoe Basin. The website will include
information on research programs currently being performed in the basin, summaries of
current and past studies, and links to information about agency, research institutions,
and individual researcher activities.
The TSC will provide quarterly reports of its progress on the tasks described in this work
plan. The schedule for submission of these reports will be set by the PSW.
Specifically, these reports will summarize activities and accomplishments on the
development of regional monitoring plans for the Lake Tahoe basin, implementation of
the peer review process, and scientific consultation and information transfer.
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