Dorado
Keeper of San Juan Secrets
Any boat anywhere with mussels attached is going to going to be a huge red flag, and will require cleaning to transport…
new AIS requirements in Utah
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svivian
Escalante-Class Member
They didnt decon your boat and gave you a green seal right after coming back from powell??
I have stopped there twice now... once i waited for 20 minutes for 2 boats in front of me all to tell them i was going right back to powell and didnt want or need a decon. you are 100% correct that its going to be an absolute cluster this summer starting with memorial day.
How about the many migratory birds who can transport mussel spawn and visitors and campers leaving with lake water saturated items.I wonder if sea planes landing in Utah Waters have to have the quagga sticker and get Decon before leaving the lake
Ryan
Keeper of San Juan Secrets
I had my fishing boat. They looked in the live well and had me drop the outdrive. One guy walked around the hull feeling the bottom of it. I asked for a seal knowing it’s going to be quite a while before I use that boat again and they put one on.
I asked what will happen when I bring my wake boat back in July and they told me it would be similar to this inspection but I will need to uncover the boat enough to run the ballast pumps.
This stop also seems like a complete waste to me. They won’t decontaminate unless they find signs of mussels. And I’d hope that any boat with ballast tanks and inboard powered would need to be decontaminated so I’ll end up taking it to CPW HQ anyway.
I’m not sure what they are going to do when it’s a busy weekend and they have 10 or more boats waiting in 105* temps, needing to be uncovered so they can hear the pumps run. Add a couple of impatient commercial truck drivers being blocked and wasting their time will only add to the fun.
We’ve gone through Wyoming many times and it never feels this disorganized. But in fairness Wyoming has been doing the roadside thing for several years and when I take my boat through there it’s always been tagged as clean and Wyoming does recognize Colorado’s seals.
Ryan
Keeper of San Juan Secrets
Birds don’t spread it.
Do waterfowl spread zebra mussels?
Aquatic invasive species (AIS) continue to spread throughout Minnesota. With its many popular lakes, Otter Tail County is certainly not immune to their spread. Indeed, we see popular lakes in
bigfish1
Active Member
Here's my experience with the Decon station at Bullfrog earlier this year. We got off the lake a little earlier on the last day of our trip because the signs all said that the decon station closed at 6:00 pm. It was 5:30 when we pulled up and the person said "we're closed". I pointed out to him that the signs all said 6:00 but he said " I don't care we're closed". Utah needs to get serious about this joke of a system they have. I am amazed that all the bodies of water in Utah aren't infected by mussels by now.
POk3s
Escalante-Class Member
Right. It comes down to the people in the end. If the people they’re employing for, just guessing here, $12 per hour don’t care enough to do any of the required things but then seal your boat anyway or tell you to go up the road then who am I to argue?
svivian
Escalante-Class Member
Thats crazy, I don't think I have ever gone to a Colorado lake after going to powell and not had them run hot water in the bilge and through the engine unless its been sitting over winter.
Them taking peoples word that they aren't going to launch for a while and slapping a seal on a boat is going to cause more problems than solve.
please note I'm not saying you were lying but I know there are people out there who will to save them time.
Ryan
Keeper of San Juan Secrets
What they did does follow the principal of clean/drain/dry.
If you lower an outboard and no water comes out of it, the plug is out and the hull is dry and they inspect the live well and it’s dry as well how could it transfer quagga? The way I understand it, the risk is standing water?
If I was going to launch soon I’d rather it be sprayed down as I don’t want to be the one who spreads the mussels. But if the live well is dry and I don’t have ballast tanks I don’t think there is much risk?
And who knows, maybe the next time I go to launch the inspector will see the seal and make me decontaminate them? Wolford mountain did that to me one time despite having a tag when they saw Powell is where I was at before but I had decontaminated at CPW HQ.
svivian
Escalante-Class Member
I don't disagree with your thoughts, however their website and other state practices seem to say there either needs to be a decontamination or a dry period after leaving an infested lake.
I think the inconsistencies of the practices done by those inspecting, as well as the state departments implementing them, is what causes most contention towards the process. If we could get things standardized and consistent I think most would be much happier spending money towards the cause.
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Ryan
Keeper of San Juan Secrets
@svivian one of my complaints all along has been lack of consistency. Even though they are supposed to have uniform training, every location seems to do things differently. It’s blatantly apparent when it comes to my Malibu which is why I always go to CPW HQ after going out of state.
But even then it’s not always the same. The fact is you have a bunch of part time seasonal low wage employees doing doing the inspections and decons.
I did think there was a difference in procedures when a non-Colorado sealed boat between inboards and outboards.
I know that inboards require decontamination. I didn’t think outboards did if they were dry. And I didn’t think Colorado cared at all about a waiting period?
But even then it’s not always the same. The fact is you have a bunch of part time seasonal low wage employees doing doing the inspections and decons.
I did think there was a difference in procedures when a non-Colorado sealed boat between inboards and outboards.
I know that inboards require decontamination. I didn’t think outboards did if they were dry. And I didn’t think Colorado cared at all about a waiting period?
svivian
Escalante-Class Member
There in lies the problem.... My experience with having an outboard motor over the years is they have always deconned me even if it had been months since I had been to Powell. Only time was when it was over winter they inspected and let me launch. There is no where i can find where the procedures are different based on engine type. All i can find is what is written above and that has been in line with my experience with an outboard.
Your green seal implies that your boat is good to go when in all reality there could be water still in the bilge area and you could go and launch somewhere else the very next day. I just think that for all the effort they are putting into doing this at the Colorado border that is contradicting the process.
This is good conversation and examples of the problems that need to be addressed by all states charging for AIS
lakepowellnut
Well-Known Member
For those interested in Utah’s AIS Annual Report, here it is. It’s not meant to stir controversy, but as a resource to better understand the program and its cost.
Meesh
Member
I'm not certain if this is a tongue in cheek, but Utah's boating code specifically points out that seaplanes are not watercraft. I think it's the only watercraft that is not a watercraftI wonder if sea planes landing in Utah Waters have to have the quagga sticker and get Decon before leaving the lake
As a passenger I've landed there (and other places) a handful of times and we've always checked the floats after landing back on land. We're not looking for quaggas though, just an inspection for any water at all.
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RiverRat68
Active Member
I've read through the posts on this thread and I'm hoping to get solid guidance cuz I'm a bit confused...I'm bringing my AZ registered Yamaha jet boat to Powell in July for a 6 day houseboat trip where we will be on the "Utah side" of the lake...Do I need to adhere to the Utah requirement (training, sticker, and $25 fee) if I'm launching at Wahweap, trailering back at Wahweap and returning to Havasu? I'll never be on Utah highways or roads, only AZ roadways. I'm sorry for the redundancy of the ask...
Rivergoer
Keeper of San Juan Secrets
Unfortunately yes. A lot of us Arizonans stuck in the same proverbial ‘boat’.
This is in addition to the GCNRA tiered fee you’ll need to pay at the gate for your boat and a separate fee for your tow vehicle.
So for 7 days or less you’ll pay:
$30 - Tow Vehicle
$30 - Boat ($20 if 16’ or under)
$25 - Utah AIS fee (online pmt + test)
Higher fees if annual passes wanted. Tow Vehicle fee is 1/2 for seniors 65+. The senior discount doesn’t apply for boats or AIS.
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RiverRat68
Active Member
Thanks for the info, RiverGoer...and to betray my newbie status even more...a follow up question. Upon launching at Wahweap, there is no inspection. When retrailering at end of trip, that's where the inspection takes place. Have I got that right?
Rivergoer
Keeper of San Juan Secrets
Utah DWR personnel at both Wahweap and Stateline will stop you twice at the top of the ramp:
1) on the way in, to ask you some questions and note your vessel numbers
2) on the way out, to inspect your boat, trailer, anchor ropes, lockers, live wells, etc.
In addition on the way out for our PWCs, they have us briefly fire up and rev a couple times to blow out excess water. Not sure whether that process also applies to your type of boat…
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