Boaters planning to launch at Lake Tahoe over Memorial Day Weekend are reminded to arrive at one of five watercraft inspection stations clean, drained and dry in order to get through the inspection process and out on the water more quickly.

All boats entering Lake Tahoe without a Lake Tahoe wire inspection seal are required to go through a mandatory inspection and purchase an inspection sticker as part of the public, private, multi-agency effort to protect Lake Tahoe from aquatic invasive species (AIS). Inspection stations are located at:

Memorial Day Weekend (May 24-27) is coming up, just around the corner, the weather is forecast for gorgeous conditions, and for countless folks in this general area, it will be their first big outdoor adventure of 2013.

So, where to go on that weekend? Well, be advised that no matter where you go (unless it is to some God forsaken location in the middle of nowhere), you can expect to encounter big crowds of people also wanting to enjoy an outdoor outing for the holiday.

So, be prepared for lots of company wherever you go or whatever you do.

You've heard about the dangers of too much sun exposure and the need to use sunscreen. Still, you love the great outdoors and wouldn't miss a day of playing in the sun. Sunscreen? That is an afterthought. Or your prom or some other significant event is coming up so you opt for a tanning booth thinking….just this once. If any of these scenarios describes you, you may be setting yourself up for skin cancer.

If you are looking for somewhere in this general area to having fun in the outdoors (camping, fishing, photographing, sightseeing, etc.), then look no further than two locations in nearby Plumas County in California.
I'm referring to Davis Lake and Frenchman Reservoir.

Davis Lake:
It can be reached from Carson City by taking U.S. 395 north to Reno.
Then from Reno, drive past Bordertown and the Nevada-California state line to a junction with California S.R. 70 at Hallelujah Junction.

At Hallelujah Junction, take S.R. 70 west toward Portola and Quincy.

Register is underway to attend the Carson River Watershed Bus Tour. The Carson Water Subconservancy District will host its annual 2-day bus tour of the Carson River Watershed on June 13 and 14, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day.

Come join this highly educational and informative event. Continuing Education credits will are available for AICP planners, teachers and engineers.

UPDATE: KOLO Channel 8 Reno reports that a fire Sunday night was intentionally set and a man is in custody. Investigators told the news station that the man was distraught and attempted to commit suicide when he lit the fire to the home. He escaped and no one else was injured.

***
A Carson City home was destroyed by fire Sunday, the second such fire in a residential area in just over 24 hours.

Here is this week's fishing report for rivers, lakes and streams in Nevada, Northern California and the Sierra. This report is for the week of May 8-14:

Here is the fishing report for the week of May 1-7 for rivers, lakes and streams in Nevada, Northern California and the Sierra.

ALMANOR LAKE, CALIF:
Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500) (www.shastacascade.com) reports:
Water conditions are spring-perfect!
Due to the recent weather, most fish have been eating at night, pushing back the best time to go fishing on the lake. Most reports indicate that time is somewhere around 10:00AM.

Nevada Congressman Mark Amodei announced Wednesday the re-introduction of his "Small Lands Tracts Conveyance Act" (H.R. 1633) to accelerate the process for transferring small parcels of federal land to local communities.

In western states, straightforward, non-controversial public land sales to decrease the vast federal inventory and promote local control can take more than a decade to complete. While Amodei believes there should be scrutiny for any sale, he cites the bureaucratic regulatory maze and slow legislative process as the main culprits in dragging out the transfers.

Join park rangers at Washoe Lake State Park for a leisurely spring wildflower walk. Discover some of the many beautiful wildflowers in bloom on this two mile, moderate walk starting at the main boat ramp. Phlox, Daisies, Butterweed, Lupine, Larkspur, Paintbrush and many more wildflowers will be highlighted on this walk.

With spring in full swing, several road projects are underway in Carson City. Here is the road report for the week of April 22-28:

Because of continued construction of the Carson City Freeway project, Snyder Avenue is closed between E. Roland Street and Center Drive. Center Drive and Silver Sage Drive are also closed south of Appion Way. Bennett Avenue is closed between Center Drive and Bigelow Drive.

Earth and science will be in the spotlight at Western Nevada College next week with two free lectures in Carson City that will feature discussions on global warming and the geologic history of Lake Tahoe. The events highlight a series of activities during Earth Week, April 22-27.

Two free lectures by science experts - one about the violent geologic history of Lake Tahoe, another concerning global warming, will highlight the many free activities at Western Nevada College during Earth Week, April 22-27.
Renewable energy exhibits, an organic gardening lecture, alternative fuel vehicles and a tree planting ceremony will also be featured.

“Many diverse and interesting activities will be offered,” said Valerie Andersen, WNC public service librarian and college Earth Week event coordinator. Students, faculty and the public are invited to attend.

On April 1st of this year, two morning disc jockeys from the Fort Myers, Southwest Florida area, informed their audience that dihydrogen monoxide was in the city’s water supply.

They should be applauded for bringing attention to this pervasive, nefarious and evil chemical seeping into our homes every time we shower, water our lawn, or take a drink from our faucets, because it is also prevalent in Carson City’s water supply!

In the 1997, 14 year old Nathan Zohner of Idaho warned us of its terrible effects:
• It can cause excessive sweating and vomiting.

Here is this week's fishing report for rivers, lakes and streams in Nevada, Northern California and the Sierra. This report is for the week of April 3-10. Opening day of fishing for most California lakes and streams is Saturday, April 27.
The California Department of Fish and Game 2013-14 rules and regulations for freshwater fishing are attached below.

Come out and support the Carson Capitals Baseball Program in their inaugural Grand Slam Run on April 28th at 10 am at El Charro Avitia. This is a 5K and 10K event for the entire family. Registration is $25 Adults prior to April 18 and $30 after and only $15 for kids ages 5-14. There will be race day registration from 8:30-9:30 am for $35. Registration for the race gets you a water bottle and buffet lunch. You can also purchase Lunch tickets for $10 if you aren't able to run.

Carson City geocachers get ready. Saturday, April 27 is your day. The Geocache Adventure, a second-annual event hosted by the Carson City Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Unit, will provide a day's worth of searching for participants and $1,000 in prizes.

Registration begins at 9 a.m. with a 10 a.m. start time. The gathering will meet at Bully's Sports Bar and Grill, 3530 N Carson Street. Cost: Kids under 15: $12 Adults: $20 Team of 4 any age: $60

Entry fees:

State Geologist James E. Faulds presents a thought-provoking question as the topic of the Nevada State Museum’s Frances Humphrey Lecture Series at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 28. In “Why is Nevada in Hot Water: Tectonic Controls on Geothermal Activity in the Great Basin,” Faulds focuses on how fault systems initiate and evolve through time.

Geothermal studies enhance understanding of what controls hot fluids in the earth’s crust and aid in exploration and discovery of energy resources. Scientists study geologic faults and stress conditions to determine where to drill.

This is my annual reminder that if you are a trout fisherman and are new to our area, you may not be aware that some of our best Lahontan Cutthroat Trout fishing is at Pyramid Lake in the month of March.

And, with our current fabulous weather, you would be remiss if you did not take advantage of our record setting high temperatures, it may not last!

Pyramid Lake (which is roughly the same surface size as Lake Tahoe) is about 30 miles north of Reno-Sparks, and it contains Lahontan Cutthroat Trout that can run into “Double Digits” in weight. That's big!

Carson City, Nev. – Across Nevada and the nation, household leaks waste more than one trillion gallons of water per year – enough to supply the water needs of Chicago, Miami, and Los Angeles combined. Easily corrected household leaks can increase homeowners’ water bills by 12 percent. To help consumers find and repair easy-to-fix leaks, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is promoting the fourth annual Fix a Leak Week, March 18-24.

RENO, Nev. – Climate data from 13 geospatial monitoring stations across the Great Basin are being made available to researchers, educators and the public by a group of researchers from the Nevada System of Higher Education. They have developed the long-term climate monitoring network specifically designed to measure variations in climate change and are now working to broaden the network’s reach to include the all types of hazard monitoring in the region.

A discussion on global warming and ways that plants, wildlife and humans living in the Sierra Nevada and Great Basin will adapt to climate change will be the focus of a free April 23 forum at Western Nevada College in Carson City.

UPDATE: Wild horse advocates will hold a rally in front of the Nevada Legislature Thursday, March 7, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. to protest the BLM's decision to remove a herd of 11 wild horses from the area. The advocates say the want the horses, picked up from the BLM last week, to be put back into the wild. The BLM contends the horses have been problematic and pose a safety hazard.
***
The Humane Society of the United States is the latest animal rights organization to denounce the Bureau of Land Management’s decision to remove a small band of wild horses located east of Carson City, Nev., in the Pine Nut Herd Management Area.

A talk on the energy of the New Year, 2013 Year of the Yin Water Snake. Find out your Chinese animal and what to expect for the coming year. Cost:$25.

Presented by Gail Hill of Feng Shui Element. (775)832-0789, www.tahoefengshui.com

At, Crimson Moon Intuitive Arts, Carson Mall, Carson City. (775)841-6718
www.crimsonmoonintuitvearts.com