Quagga Mussels found in Lake Tahoe

[Full_Monte]

It was on the TV news last night. I can only imagine the reaction this is going to get from the state. They are talking about charging a boat inspection fee of $16 to $65 depending on the size of the boat. Of course, that won't help the mussel problem....they are already in the lake. But it will help the state coffers and keep people from boating on the lake, which is what the Sierra Club really wants.

 

[SuperD]

Anyone besides me curious if a boat inspector has found a quagga mussel yet? Other than charging and turning wet boats away, I'd love to know if they ever actually found any.

 

[Full_Monte]

On TV, they showed them encrusting rocks and a pipe. I presume the photos were taken at Tahoe.

 

[Bduck]

When I was at the Salt Lake ISE, I talked to a conservation officer, they had taken an outboard and put into Lake Mead late last November and pulled it out in Feb. It was covered with mussels. We talked a while but he didn't mention anything about Lake Tahoe. He did stress when you pull your boat out of the water, thoroughly wipe it down, trailer too, and drain any water out of your boat (bilge) right there. This will help keep those little b#$%^&*'s isolated there. Its to bad that they want to charge a fee for inspection prior to launch and alot of work after to clean. Whats our fishing world coming to?

 

[HiTechKoke]

Here's the link about the Tahoe scare from last fall.... the boat did NOT make it into the lake fortunately.

http://www.nevadaappeal.com/article/20080828/NEWS/808279935/-1/rss02

 

[RC McKokanee]

how many lakes are infected with these mussels? and if they are such a problem, can they kill them off in the lakes they are in already. of course they won't do this in a lake like tahoe. all i know is i am glad i havent had my boat in any lake other than whiskeytown and shasta the past 4 years. and what is going to happen with the gorge ? will they start not allowing boats from california to launch there?

 

[Full_Monte]

Read this article. There's a section on mussel invasion in the area of Flaming Gorge.

http://gf.state.wy.us/downloads/pdf/...etter_2008.pdf

It talks about other threats to the Kokanee as well, but the mussels are the ones that really scare me. Mussels are plankton eaters. Kokanee are plankton eaters. If you get enough Mussels in a Lake, I can only imagine what it does to the Kokanee food supply.

 

[Bduck]

Utah has 2 infected reservoirs. Electric Res. near Price & Red Fleet Res. near Vernal. Vernal is only about 40 miles away from the Gorge. There is a questionaire you fill out at the launch and if you answer the first question NO, then proceed to launch. This form is displayed in your vehicle window, signed & dated. I personally like to see an inspection. The honor system is only designed for the honest. Yea right.

 

[Full_Monte]

I guess if the infected lakes are upstream of the Gorge, the mussels will enter the Gorge during their free-swimming stage. Are the lakes upstream or downstream?

 

[Bduck]

I don't believe they feed the Gorge at all.