DNR AIS Email Message 16/August/2018

[BartsPlace]

Dear Registered Boat Owner,

In the coming week you will receive a letter from Governor Herbert about the evolving situation regarding quagga mussels at Lake Powell. This year we have seen an unprecedented number of boats exiting Lake Powell with invasive mussels attached to the vessel and lodged further inside intake and water systems. Technicians are regularly finding mussels on and in boats that have only been in Lake Powell for a day or two, something boaters haven’t experienced in the past.

More quagga mussels are also being found during secondary boat inspections statewide. If you visit other lakes or reservoirs after a trip to Lake Powell, your boat will be inspected again and then decontaminated and quarantined, if necessary.

Please help us by doing your part to prevent the spread of quagga mussels to other Utah lakes and reservoirs. If you boat at Lake Powell consider your vessel contaminated. Please be prepared for extended wait times to have your boat inspected and plan accordingly. You are also strongly encouraged to have your boat decontaminated when leaving. If you choose to clean, drain and dry your boat – rather than having it professionally decontaminated – take the time to inspect its anchor and sea strainer; flush and inspect its cooling intake or water system and make sure to pull all bilge plugs. Finally, dry your boat thoroughly for the required time, based on time of year. The dry time for boats with ballast tanks and inboard motors is always 30 days.

To find a decontamination station near you, contact decontamination personnel, or find more information on dry times, visit www.wildlife.utah.gov/mussels. Watch for more information in the coming months from DWR on how you can provide feedback on this important issue.

Regards,

DNR AIS Coordinating Team

 

[Waterbaby]

And the worst part is this didn't need to happen....

 

[BartsPlace]

And here's the letter from Gov Herbert -

 

[Meatwagon]

And here's the letter from Gov Herbert -

I wish more states in the south west would be as pro active, at least he's getting the word out there to every boat owner in the state. Here in Arizona they have posted billboards at the launch ramps about cleaning your boat and not moving a mussel, but the more info put out there the better.

 

[BartsPlace]

Hopefully it will go beyond just the words in an email and a letter. If they really want us to decontaminate at Lake Powell before leaving, then they need to make sure that option is available and can handle the volume. I actually prefer that option so that I'm ready to boat anywhere I want without worrying about dry time, but I frequently find that the stations are not open or have unreasonable wait times - leaving me to Clean, Drain, Dry on my own.

 

[Cliff]

Like I said in a previous post- The plan is good, better than good, but the execution of the plan falls on its face.

 

[Rivergoer]

Sep 7 My son will be towing his pontoon boat from So Cal via I-15 to Lake Powell after having it on the Colorado River this Labor Day weekend. Theoretically a Clean, Drain, Dry would be sufficient but I’m concerned about what he should expect entering Utah Port of Entry even though destination (LP) is already AIS-infested.

Has anyone experienced issues at St George POE after a similar scenario?