October 2009 - South Tahoe Public Utility District

4 to 6 years depending upon the species and growth characteristics. The revenue
generation is generally minimal; however, the option would be leased and require
minimal involvement by the District. A portion of the Diamond Valley Ranch not used for
the irrigation fields would be a suitable site for growing bio-mass crops.
(2) Wetland Sod and Seed Production
By implementing this variation, the District would generate revenue from the production
and sale of wetland sod and seed. Recycled water would be used to grow wetlandspecies
sod for transplantation to mitigation sites. Seeds would also be harvested from
mature wetlands and sold for wetland habitat projects. The Master Plan recommended
irrigation fields on the Diamond Valley Ranch or some other location within the Diamond
Valley Ranch would be suitable for producing wetland sod.
(3) Mitigation Wetland Creation Using Freshwater
Mitigation is required when waters of the State or wetlands of the United States are
impacted. Under this variation, the District would create a mitigation wetland that would
be used to “bank credits” in anticipation of selling the credits to others when waters or
wetlands are impacted. The creation of mitigation wetlands would require District
support in perpetuity. Concern exists by regulators that wetlands supported by recycled
water are subject to change and the perpetuity aspect comes into question. If a
freshwater source is utilized this concern is eliminated. A portion of the Diamond Valley
Ranch may be suitable to create mitigation wetlands.
The potential use of recycled water in Nevada may require capacity conveyance improvements
in the Diamond Ditch delivery system. Some of the projects described in this section address
this need.
South Tahoe Public Utility District
Recycled Water Facilities Master Plan - October 2009 Page 9-76