Washoe Borrow Pit
Around the 1960s, over 20 years before California State Parks (CSP) acquired Washoe Meadows, several borrow pits were mined for gravel on the land, one which was approximately four acres in size and 30 feet deep.
In 2001, the California Tahoe Conservancy approached CSP to accept fill generated on a wetland restoration project that involved removing over 80,000 cubic yards of fill from the Upper Truckee River Lower West Side Project.
This fill was transported in over 7,000 truck loads from near the Tahoe Keys Marina to Washoe Meadows and placed in the old quarry borrow pit, and graded to follow the topographical profile of the existing landscape. The soil was then amended with compost and fertilizer and seeded and mulched with local native vegetation.
Restoration in Pictures
Here are photographs of the restoration project:
This is an image of the quarry pit before the restoration.
This is how the project looks after the restoration and revegetation.
