Quagga mussels found on boat during inspection near Lake Tahoe

Submitted by paula on Fri, 05/26/2017 - 2:23pm

The watercraft inspection spots around Lake Tahoe once again proved their valuable service when a boat at the Alpine Meadows station was found to have quagga mussels on board May 14.

The boat was quarantined for several days and Tahoe Resource Conservation District staff performed multiple decontaminations to ensure all invasive species were removed before the boat was released to the owner.

Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) Governing Board voted to increase prevention methods by requiring motorists towing boats to remove drain plugs from their watercraft after leaving the lake.

Quagga mussels have caused billions of dollars in negative economic impact to waterways nationwide, including areas in southern California and Lake Mead.

“The board’s decision this week requiring boaters to remove drain plugs from their watercraft after leaving the water is a critical step in the continued protection of all lakes against the threat of aquatic invasive species,” said Dennis Zabaglo, TRPA aquatic resources program manager. “The drain plug rule is consistent with direction from fish and wildlife agencies across the West.”

Updated TRPA regulations require boaters to remove drain plugs as boats leave the lake, which will help prevent the spread of existing aquatic invasive species within the lake. Removal of drain plugs while traveling will assist boaters in arriving at boat inspection stations across the West clean, drained, and dry—an effective way to prevent the spread of invasive species.

The new rule is consistent with best boating practices and a newly adopted Nevada law. People transporting watercraft in Nevada are required to have all devices controlling the draining of water removed and open while the craft is on Nevada public roads.

Additional TRPA code updates emphasize that willful attempts to launch without inspection and the use of stolen inspection seals are prohibited.

For information on Lake Tahoe boat inspections, visit www.tahoeboatinspections.com.