P061: Lake Tahoe Visibility Impairment Source Apportionment Analysis
Project Number
04.01.01.0050
Action Priority
Conduct Applied Scientific Research
Implementers
Desert Research Institute
Supporting Agencies
Unknown or unspecified
Primary Contact
Alan Heyvaert (alan.heyvaert@dri.edu)
Stage
Completed
Duration
2009 - 2011
Total Project Cost
$103,007
Funding Request
$0
Science Program
Conduct Applied Scientific Research
The EPA Regional Haze Regulations require the use of reconstructed light extinction from aerosol data to track trends in haze at mandatory Class I areas. Long-term monitoring conducted at Bliss State Park and South Lake Tahoe has found that the thresholds were met and visibility has improved since monitoring began. However, the TRPA 2006 Threshold Evaluation report noted concerns over backsliding. This study interpreted 20 years of chemically speciated PM2.5 aerosol data at Bliss SP and 15 years-worth of data at South Lake Tahoe to determine the effects of light scattering and absorption by particles on visibility impairment in the Lake Tahoe Basin.