Keep Tahoe Blue Advocacy Update
September 17, 2026 | Member Submitted
Originally published by Keep Tahoe Blue, 9/17/2026
Since Keep Tahoe Blue was founded nearly 70 years ago, our victories for the Lake have been the result of combining science, direct engagement with government decision makers, and persistence. It can take years and sometimes decades to shape public policy and secure the sustainable funding needed to protect Tahoe. Our team remains committed to methodically building relationships and support, taking advantage of opportunities when they arise, and making sure Tahoe gets the government support it deserves, just like we have from the start.
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New Tools to Stop the Spread of Aquatic Invasive Species
What is it?
“CD3 Outpost Blue” machines are self-service aquatic invasive species (AIS) prevention stations designed specifically for non-motorized watercraft, including paddleboards, kayaks, canoes, rafts, floaties, and fishing equipment. They are a tool to address the growing threat of golden mussels and other aquatic invasive species that can be transported on wet or contaminated gear. Keep Tahoe Blue led the installation of four new Outpost Blue machines in Tahoe this month. Each Outpost Blue provides tools such as a brush, grabber, and compressed air so recreators can Clean, Drain, and Dry their equipment before entering Lake Tahoe and nearby waterbodies. The goal is to make AIS prevention easy and accessible, particularly for users who do not pass through Tahoe’s existing motorized boat inspection stations.
Keep Tahoe Blue is leading the CD3 Outpost Blue project as a proactive expansion of Tahoe’s AIS prevention system. Keep Tahoe Blue provided funding for the new machines, is working with the CD3 manufacturer and agency partners on future design improvements and placement, developing educational messaging and signage, and helping integrate the stations into broader AIS outreach. The project builds on our previous deployment of a mobile, trailer-mounted CD3 unit and on-the-ground education with our Eyes on the Lake Outreach Team volunteers.
Where is it in the process?
In early September, Keep Tahoe Blue installed four custom, non-motorized CD3 Outpost Blue machines at Baldwin Beach and Fallen Leaf Lake. The units are intended to complement Tahoe’s robust boat inspection program, which requires all motorized watercraft to be inspected and decontaminated before launching at one of Tahoe’s marinas or launch ramps. Nonmotorized watercraft are just as likely to carry AIS, but they can enter the water from anywhere. The new CD3 Outposts are an additional tool to fill the gap in AIS prevention for nonmotorized gear.
What’s next?
The next phase of the project is to build public awareness, so recreators know how and why to use the Outpost Blue machines. Keep Tahoe Blue will also evaluate the machines’ use and effectiveness, identify opportunities for additional locations, and continue advocating for stronger and more consistent non-motorized AIS prevention across Lake Tahoe, California, and Nevada. In the longer term, the Outpost Blue machines can provide a model for other high-use waterbodies to address the threat of golden mussels and other invasive species.
What is Keep Tahoe Blue’s position? SUPPORT
The Outpost Blue machines advance Keep Tahoe Blue’s position that preventing invasive species from entering Lake Tahoe is far more effective, environmentally responsible, and cost-effective than attempting to control them after they’ve established a new population. The machines also help close an important gap in the current prevention system by giving nonmotorized recreators easy, free, and practical tools to Clean, Drain, and Dry their equipment.
Climate connection:
Climate change can increase Lake Tahoe’s vulnerability to aquatic invasive species by altering water temperatures, hydrology, and ecosystem conditions in ways that may favor the establishment or spread of some invasive species. At the same time, Tahoe is experiencing high recreational use and increasing movement of watercraft and equipment among California and Nevada waterways. Strengthening AIS prevention increases the Lake’s ecological resilience by reducing an additional stressor on an ecosystem already responding to a changing climate.
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