An assessment of ozone concentrations within and near the Lake Tahoe Air Basin

Abstract

Abstract The Lake Tahoe Atmospheric Deposition Study (LTADS) was conducted by the Air Resources Board of the State of California (CARB) primarily to generate refined estimates of the atmospheric deposition of nitrogen, phosphorous, and particulate matter directly to Lake Tahoe, which straddles the border between the states of California and Nevada near Reno, Nevada. The enhanced air quality monitoring during LTADS also included ozone measurements, which yielded additional insights into atmospheric processes and the role of transport in determining ozone concentrations within the Lake Tahoe Air Basin. The Lake Tahoe Air Basin is located generally downwind of air basins with major emissions of ozone precursors (e.g., VOCs, NOx), capable of generating significant ozone concentrations. Furthermore, vegetation on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada contribute biogenic organic compounds to the air mass. Ozone concentrations within the Tahoe Basin infrequently exceed the local 1-h threshold set to protect forest health (0.08 ppm) and the California 8-h ambient air quality standard (0.070 ppm). A concern then is the potential contribution of regional emission sources to the ozone concentrations observed in the Tahoe Basin. The ozone data collected during LTADS helped to better characterize the relative contribution of local and regional pollution sources to ozone air quality within the Tahoe Basin. The data indicate potential 1- or 2-day intact transport on rare occasions but generally the mixing of the atmosphere over the Sierra Nevada disperses the anthropogenic ozone throughout the boundary layer, which is generally more than a kilometer or two deep during the day. The data analysis indicates that emissions from upwind air basins add to the atmospheric burden of ozone concentrations, raising the regional concentrations in the Sierra Nevada. Given the large background and upwind enhancements relative to the ambient air quality standards, the local contribution does not need to be large to contribute to exceedances of an ozone air quality standard. This information can be used to refine hypotheses about the relative role of local and regional sources of air pollution impacting the Tahoe Basin. Ultimately, the improved understanding of air quality within the Tahoe Basin will guide actions in pollution control plans designed to protect public health and welfare (e.g., visibility, forest health) within this unique alpine setting.