Lake Tahoe developer agrees to penalty for stormwater permit violations

South Lake Tahoe - Furthering its efforts to protect Lake Tahoe’s water clarity, the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board has reached a proposed $156,000 settlement with a housing developer that failed to follow stormwater regulations at a lakeside construction site.

During a 2025 site inspection, Lahontan Water Board staff found that Alpine View Estates LLC did not conduct stormwater site inspections or submit monitoring and reporting as required under its construction permit. Under the terms of the proposed agreement, the company will settle the alleged violations by paying the penalty to the State Water Resources Control Board’s Cleanup and Abatement Account, which provides funding for emergency responses statewide to clean up or mitigate toxic spills or pollution.

“Construction sites are a major contributor of stormwater pollution in the Lake Tahoe Basin, making it critical for developers to take the necessary precautions at their sites,” said Jan Zimmerman, Lahontan Water Board assistant executive officer. “We’re increasing our attention to construction sites in particular as we enforce stormwater regulations near the lake’s shoreline and throughout the entire region.”

Preventing stormwater runoff – which can pick up harmful contaminants as it flows over construction sites, roads and other hard surfaces – from reaching the lake and its tributaries is a key priority for the Lahontan Water Board. Construction site runoff especially can transport fine-grained sediment and other pollutants that fuel algal growth and harm the lake’s renowned clarity.

The board adopted the construction general permit in 2016 to regulate stormwater discharges from projects in the Lake Tahoe Basin that disturb more than one acre of land. The Lake Tahoe-specific construction permit works in conjunction with the Lake Tahoe Total Maximum Daily Program, which last year kept an estimated 736,600 pounds of sediment known to harm clarity and water quality out of the lake.

Following a public comment period that ends on Sept. 9, the proposed agreement must still be approved by the board or its executive officer.

The Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board is responsible for the preservation and enhancement of the quality of California’s water resources in eastern California. For more information about the Lahontan Water Board, visit its website.