This award supports the acquisition of a high speed research vessel and a 4WD vehicle to tow the research vessel. The high speed research vessel will allow research on regional effects expressed in many lakes of the Sierra Nevada, rather than just Lake Tahoe. The all weather vehicle will be used by staff, visiting scientists and students to tow such a boat, and to transport equipment and supplies to remote locations. The UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center (TERC) has focused its research on lake ecology, lake restoration and limnology over the last 50 years. At the same time it has trained many of today's leaders in these fields. In October 2006, a new facility was opened providing, for the first time, adequate labs and modern state-of-the-art lab equipment. TERC has embarked on new research initiatives such as remote sensing, climate change impacts, and littoral zone processes, which the new equipment will facilitate. A major part of TERC's mission is education and outreach. A public interpretive center has been established, with a full time education and outreach coordinator, two Americorps volunteers, and 50 volunteer docents. It is designed to cater to K-12 and the general public. The equipment awarded will allow for both the expansion of education and outreach and provide greater resources and flexibility to researchers. TERC's mission is also tied to the restoration of the Tahoe Basin.
