Martis Valley facts for kids
Martis Valley is a beautiful area in the United States. It covers about 70 square miles (180 square kilometers). You can find it north of Lake Tahoe, California, near the California-Nevada border. The valley is located in Placer and Nevada Counties. A stream called Martis Creek flows through it, heading north to the Truckee River.
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Exploring Martis Valley
Martis Valley is nestled in the Sierra Nevada mountains, just north of Lake Tahoe. It's mostly a quiet, forested area. The land here ranges from about 5,800 to 8,600 feet (1,768 to 2,621 meters) above sea level.
The valley is part of the Martis Creek Basin. This basin collects water that flows into the Truckee River. Important streams like Martis Creek, Donner Creek, and Prosser Creek are all part of this system.
Lakes and Reservoirs
Martis Valley has several natural lakes, including Dry Lake, Gooseneck Lake, and Donner Lake. There are also some lakes made by people. The Prosser Creek Reservoir is a small man-made lake built in 1962. A bigger lake, Martis Creek Reservoir, was created in 1972. The United States Army Corps of Engineers built it to help control floods in Reno, Nevada.
Fun Places to Visit
The area also offers fun spots like the Martis Creek Lake Recreation Area. This park is run by the US Army Corps of Engineers. You can also find the northern part of the Northstar California ski resort here. Other places include the Lahontan Golf Club and the Truckee-Tahoe Airport. California State Route 267 is a main road that goes through the valley, connecting Truckee and Lake Tahoe.
History of Martis Valley
In 2001, a large forest fire burned about 15,000 acres (61 square kilometers) of land in Martis Valley. This event showed how important it is to protect the natural environment here.
Protecting the Valley
In the 2000s, Martis Valley became very popular for new buildings. This was because it's close to Truckee, California and the Northstar California ski resort. Developers first planned to build many new homes. This would have greatly increased the number of people living near Truckee.
However, environmental groups and other people who wanted to protect the land stepped in. In 2000, they formed an organization called Sierra Watch. This group worked hard to stop too much building. They even filed lawsuits to protect the valley.
After some time, everyone involved reached agreements. These agreements led to fewer homes being built than first planned. They also set aside over $100 million to protect wildlife and historic places.
The Martis Fund
One important agreement was to create the Martis Fund. This fund helps build affordable homes for people who work in the area. It also uses a special tax on real estate sales. This money helps the Truckee Donner Land Trust buy land for conservation. A big success was saving the historic Waddle Ranch. This property, dating back to the 1850s, covers about 1,500 acres (6 square kilometers).
Some new developments were built, including vacation homes and golf resorts. A new Ritz-Carlton resort also opened at Northstar.
Recent Plans and Concerns
In 2016, new plans for Martis Valley West Parcel were proposed. These plans included more homes and shops. The Attorney General of California even wrote a letter to Placer County about concerns. People worried that the new buildings would be in a dangerous fire area. They also feared it would make it harder to leave during a fire. More traffic could also harm the clear waters of Lake Tahoe.
In October 2016, the Placer County Board of Supervisors approved the plan. Many local people and groups like Sierra Watch and the League to Save Lake Tahoe were against it. In November 2016, these groups filed a lawsuit. They argued that the approval broke California's environmental laws.
